Victoria Snape and the Guards of Azkaban
by WritingHeiress
Summary: The Prisoner of Azkaban according to Victoria Snape, daughter of Severus and Lily. Join Victoria as she struggles to reconcile Dumbledore's 'truths', her draw to her Slytherin side, and her own personal insecurities, the last of which is affecting her magical ability. HP content belongs to JKR. Lupin, Severus, Lily, Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Hermione are also prevalent characters.
1. Begining Again

HELLO! Thank you to everyone who decides to read this book. I am publishing the first chapter today to honour the Battle of Hogwarts, as tomorrow (May 2nd) is the anniversary. Of course, the Battle of Hogwarts isn't for several Victoria books yet.

Prelude: Though this is the second book in the series, I have written it so you do not need to read book one. (Just like JKR wrote some of her books so it was okay to not start at the beginning of the series)

**Beginning Again**

Victoria Snape sat in her window sill, in her room at the newly named Snape Manor. Silver cushions supported her back as she relaxed on the soft green seat. In her hands was her birthday card for half brother, Harry.

Harry!  
Happy Birthday! I decided to send you two gifts. The first is a first-aid potions set. These potions will heal cuts and stuff. After all the trouble you got into last year in the Chamber of Secrets, I figured you could use one! Oh, and I managed to get a vial a Phoenix tears for the set too! The second gift is a picture of Mum with me as a newborn. I don't think you've ever seen a baby picture of me.

_Because of Dumbledore, Victoria thought bitterly. Dumbledore kept me away from my only family: my brother and my father._

Victoria gazed out her window, to see her parents sitting by an oak tree in the vast yard. Severus and Lily, together at last. Victoria's mother had been in a coma since Voldemort had come to Godric's Hollow that fateful Halloween. Not having wanted to anger one of his loyal servants, The Dark Lord had attempted to knock Lily out, assuming it would kill her anyway because of the power of his magic. Dumbledore kept her hidden away in a special private ward in St Mungo's. Harry still didn't know that their mother was alive, or awake, as Lily had been since Christmas morning.

But Lily still had contact with her son. She had become the official substitute teacher (under the influence of polyjuice potion) and would assist other teachers during lessons Harry was in.

"arf!" Maxi, her dog, barked to get her attention.

"One minute," Victoria said, sealing the card in an envelope, and giving it to her father's owl. The owl took off, out the window, and Victoria turned to Maximus.

"You've come for lunch, haven't you? Let's go then, I've got to feed you and Nagini."

Victoria headed down the stairs with Maxi, hand skimming the top of the railing as she counted the steps to the bottom. From there she headed to the cooler side of the mansion, where Nagini spent her days.

Victoria took a Hyfina (a magical animal with a week lifespan, and rat like breeding habits) and tossed it into Nagini's territory. "Working on the potion, Nagini, I promise! I'll find a way to speak Parseltounge."

Backing out of the enclosure, Victoria found a bowl of ground beef in the "Pet Food" fridge, and covered it in shredded cheese.

"Your favourite, Victoria said, setting the bowl down.

Maxi barked his thanks before moving to eat his meal.

As Victoria walked away from the animals she found her smile fading. She missed Ginny and Luna. And Kylen. Kylen would be in his fourth year at Hogwarts. Would he feel he was too old to spend time with her? It didn't help that he hadn't written to her over the summer.

_It's not like you were dating or anything. You're just friends. He doesn't have to write._

Just friends. That was funny. Kylen was the only person besides her, Severus, and Dumbledore who knew that Lily was alive. Kylen was the one Victoria practiced and experimented with Dark Magic with. She was in love with Kylen, and she knew it. She had inherited her father's passion and it had already taken over her heart.

Sighing, Victoria moved back to her spot on the window. She picked up her green journal, a Christmas gift from her father. Opening it to the first page she wrote:

Things Kylen doesn't know.

Under that she wrote:

Lies I've told, and truths I haven't told.

She turned the page.

1. I'm a terrible person because I lie to him so much

Victoria sighed. If she ever managed to let him see this book he would already know that. _The big stuff first. If you're ever going to end up in a proper relationship he'll need to know everything._

Victoria glanced over to her set of rings that Kylen had given her. Priceless, rare rings which gave her extra magical powers, should her own not suffice, to be on the safe side, or to add to her abilities. Lately Victoria had been wearing the golden gemed ring. If she let it's power surround her it gave her a feeling like she was being lifted out of her own body, to a secure and happy place. She only used it when she was alone, because she knew her father would be upset to know she felt the need to use that. When she went around the manor she wore the sky-blue ring, which allowed her to fly without attempting dark magic. Usually she was good with dark magic… she, like her father, had entered Hogwarts knowing more dark magic than many 7th years… yet lately it had been difficult for her.

_Focus!_ Victoria reprimanded herself, and turned back to the diary.

2. I was there when Harry destroyed the diary and the basilisk

3. I could have died because I opened my eyes when the basilisk was there (but Dumbledore's Phoenix had destroyed the eyes already)

_Am I putting that one in there for pity? Does it count now? Will it ever even matter anymore?_

4. I used the imperious curse to get Harry to destroy the diary (but that was the only way to save Ginny without revealing myself)

Victoria scratched behind her right ear, then looked around again. The clear ring, the ring of invisibility, was on the bedside table, there for easy access if she needed to go out. Invisibility was the best defence, in her opinion, if something were to happen while away from the house, and while her magic was finicky.

5. I don't really understand History of Magic that well. I cheated on my essay, I found the ones that father had written and rewrote them. I can't focus when Binns teaches! I don't mind some of it but some times I just don't get it and can't say it because I don't want someone to think that I'm stupid. I don't want you to think that I'm stupid. That would be the worst. I do like history though… some of it.

Victoria gazed out her window again. An owl flew down with a large bundle, headed for her parents. It suddenly occurred to her, just how lucky she was that her parents were together. If James hadn't died, then Harry and him would have known she was in the hospital in a coma, and would have been the first to know of her awakening. James may have even taken her off life support.

Victoria noted that her father was scowling at a letter, while her mother was spinning gleefully with the rest of the package, rather childishly. But it was wonderful to see her mother moving, after all those years in a coma.

The package must have been from Dumbledore, Victoria decided, and she gazed back at the notebook. Rereading what she had wrote, Victoria scowled and looked away again. Nothing she had written was right. It didn't make anything better; it was pathetic. Juvenile. She was lying to Kylen, and then trying to justify it to him. Like he would care, once he knew. And after all he had done… and given her those rings.

Victoria sighed dramatically, more to let out her own frustrations, then put the book aside. She paused by a mirror, and deciding herself presentable headed downstairs, letting her hand trail down the cherry oak railing of the spiral staircase which led to the main exit into the yards.

"Dad, Mum!" Victoria called to them.

"Victoria!" her mother gushed, running forward. Severus stood smirking in the background, as Lily acted like the twenty year old she had been when falling into a coma. Age differences didn't matter in the wizarding world, but knowing that Severus and Lily were the same age often presented amusement to the former when the later acted in youthful manners. Lily was of the opinion that Severus was holding himself too strictly, and took no notice of herself thereafter.

"Remus will be teaching at Hogwarts this year… that will be professor Lupin to you… but it will be perfect! … and we can ask him to be your Godfather."

Lily's voice sounded like a song as she spoke. "Remus was always a great friend… you'll love him Victoria."

Victoria gazed up at her father just in time to see him hide a scowl. "I think Ann and Rod are coming over for supper again—"

"Sev–er–us! Don't change the subject. All we need is Narcissa and then we can arrange your baptism and—"

"And I've still never met either of them," Victoria cut in, "that ought to happen before we plan anything. And maybe they won't agree— they can't know you're alive anyways, mum."

Lily paused. "Oh, right. Well, we'll figure something out."

"Of course," Severus said, "but for now, let us get ready for another–" and here he dropped his voice, "awkward, dinner."


	2. Escape from Azkaban

**Escape from Azkaban**

Victoria, Severus, and Lily all sat in their living-room, reading (or at least pretending to read). When Ann and Rod had finally left, both Severus and Victoria couldn't have been more relived. Yes, Ann and Rod had raised Victoria, but somehow it never felt like they loved her the same way. Victoria had grown up with her parents tragic tale, and most of the love she'd seen from Ann and Rod fell short of that impactful intensity.

And yet, now that Victoria felt that kind of love, and knew that she was loved that way, she seemed to be more miserable than ever! _Everything is still about Harry. The boy who lived. Well, Mum lived too and nobody knows. And nobody knows about me! The Daily Prophet must have heard about it from the students of Hogwarts, but no one thinks I'm important enough to mention!_

Victoria took a deep breath, the way Ann had taught her as a child, as a calming method.

_Why does Harry have to be so distant from me? And then there's Dumbledore. Dumbledore who neglects to mention important details like the fact that HARRY HAS A PIECE OF THE DARK LORD'S SOUL INSIDE HIM!_

As Victoria's thought screamed inside of her, tears spontaneously poured from her eyes, streaming like lava from a volcano.

"Victoria, sweetie?" Lily said, looking at Victoria from her book.

"I'm sorry," Victoria whispered, attempting to wipe away the tears.

Severus put down his book. "Victoria? What's going on?"

Victoria turned her face away from her parents. Weak. She was being weak.

"Victoria," Severus said, "you can tell us anything. You know that right?"

"I-I know." _Lie number… whatever._

Severus stood and moved to sit beside his daughter on the couch. Wrapping his arm around her, he motioned for Lily to join him. "Alright. Why don't we have some family time? Maybe there's a movie on the TV."

Victoria's tears turned to a mix of coughing and laughter. "D-daddy! You don't even like movies."

"You and Mum do, that's what matters."

"Now there's a man who has his priorities straight," Lily interjected.

Victoria smiled weakly. She gazed up at her father, remembering how all of this almost didn't happen. Almost. "Alright. Maybe there's a Bond movie on."

Severus summoned the remote and pressed the on button. "…escape Sirius Black. The public should be warned that Black is armed and highly dangerous. Any sightings should be reported immediately. Do not approach…"

"What!" Lily screeched, causing Severus to flinch, "but— that's Sirius!"

Victoria turned her eyes to the screen, and took a deep breath. More confusing emotions. There was the man who was partially responsible for Lily being in a coma all these years. If it wasn't for him, she could've had her parents sooner, Dumbledore wouldn't matter, and Harry would be a normal boy. But she had to mask her feelings. If she couldn't do it now, how was she going to when she was face to face with the Dark Lord himself.

"What did he do? Why was he in prison? What prison? Not—"

Severus did not mask his confusion. "But, Lily! He betrayed you and, and— and he killed Pettigrew and thirteen other muggles."

"With a single curse," Victoria added in a low tone.

"But, but," Lily sputtered, "Sirius wouldn't do that! Kill anyone… Wait! What? But Sirius wasn't our secret keeper! It was Peter! Because Peter suggested that Remus… I knew it couldn't have been… but James said we had to play it safe… Peter… but Sirius!"

Victoria, Severus, and Lily all stared at each other for several in silence.

"For the love of Merlin," Severus swore.

_Bloody hell!_ Victoria thought. The Snape family had moved into the kitchen, as all of them had developed the habit of eating under stress. (Mostly thanks to Lily, who had been craving solid food after her time in a coma). It didn't matter that they had just ate. Victoria pulled out a bag of All Dressed Chips and poured it into a bowl for her family.

"Has Sirius… was he really in Azkaban all these years?"

Severus scowled.

"Yes, mum. They didn't actually give him a trail. All of the evidence…"

"But it wasn't him!"

Tears formed in Victoria's eyes. She knew her mother wasn't yelling at her, but she still hurt.

She didn't see it happen, but the next thing Victoria knew was that her father had his arms wrapped around her.

This time the tears didn't turn to laughter. And Victoria couldn't hear the apologies and comforting words of her mother. All she did catch was "overtired" and "warm"

_This isn't working_ Victoria thought. _This doesn't make sense. It's too much… what's wrong with me._

As Victoria regained consciousness, she heard several loud voices. One rather unpleasant voice.

"Lily! Don't be rash. There's nothing I can do—"

"Nothing! NOTHING! An innocent man is being hunted down…"

"Lily, I–"

"Enough!"

There was silence for a moment. Victoria felt a calmness sweep over her when the third voice entered the conversation.

"Victoria is sleeping in the next room. Disrespectful as you may be," Severus said vehemently, "Dumbledore, I will not accept disturbing my daughter considering the stress she feels under at the present moment."

"Why Severus, you aren't suggesting that I have anything to do with– oh," there was a pause, "you can't possibly believe I would do anything to cause the girl any anxiety."

"Believe it? I know it!"

Victoria wiped the sleep from her eyes. Sitting up she peered over the sofa to see Severus's back in the doorway from the living room.

"This is silly," Lily said. "Sirius is out there, being hunted down by Dementors, and we're here just, just, this is terrible!"

Slowly moving to a standing position, Victoria ran her fingers, with some difficulty, though her hair. Brushing herself off she moved towards her father.

"Victoria!" Lily said, relief evident in her voice as she rushed over to hug her daughter.

"Hey Mum," Victoria said, glancing over her Mum's shoulder to receive a reassuring look from her father. Subtle, but evident.

"I don't want to impose on you much longer," Dumbledore said. If Victoria didn't know better she might have assumed that Dumbledore seemed wary of Severus, now that she was awake.

Lily pulled back from Victoria. "What? You can't leave! What about my son? What about Sirius?

"Harry is safe with his aunt and uncle. No one can harm him while he is there."

"And when he leaves—"

"—he will be at Hogwarts."

Lily paused, mulling this over.

"I'm hungry," said Victoria, even though she wasn't.

Severus reached over the kitchen counter and handed her the bowl of All Dressed chips from earlier. She took one and ate it gingerly.

"I really ought to be going," said Dumbledore, "but thank you for contacting me. I will alert my people that they needn't be wary of Sirius; however, there is nothing I can bring to the ministry. Do not try to interfere. Understand?"

Lily nodded. "Alright. But if anything happens–"

"Understood," said Dumbledore. "I'm sure Harry is doing fine at his aunt and uncles."

Lily scowled.

"Goodbye," said Dumbledore hastily, turning on the spot and disappearing.

QUICK NOTE: Hello readers, writers, and the like. I just updated my profile, but if there is anything in particular you would be interested in knowing about me, either comment a question in a review or private message me, and I'll add more information.

Thank you and all the best,

Little ole' me, the writer


	3. Escape from Privet Drive

**Escape from Privet Drive**

Note: an unanswered question in the series for me is why Lily's protection dint break when Harry thought he was leaving the Dursley's forever. I hope you appreciate my answer to that in this one!

Second Note: The large selection of italicized text is J.K. Rowling's from Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.

Harry Potter headed down Privet Drive, dragging his trunk behind him. His ears were dulled to Marge's muffled screams, as well as to the crowing of a few birds settling into their trees for the night. The rustling of the leaves would have sent chills down any one's spine, yet in Harry's anger no fear could reach him.

Turning down Magdona crescent, Harry reached a park, abandoned for the night. The scent of earth lingered, and Harry had the brief thought of what his childhood could have been. Playing in parks, scraped knees with a mother to fuss over bandaging, or indeed healing the wound.

_What now? Where can I go from here?_

Sighing, Harry sat his trunk down on the curb, and sat on the edge. He brushed his hands off on his jeans. _The ministry is going to expel me for sure… but what if they arrest me too. I'll run away. I can get my gold out of Gringotts, that'll help if I'm going on the run. What will Ron and Hermione think? How will I get to London? Fly? I could make my trunk feather-light._

_Plus after I get my gold… I could stay with Victoria. I could hide out at her place, and use the cloak to get around without Snape seeing me! Yeah, that's perfect. She wouldn't betray me to Snape if she knew I could get arrested, and no one would look for me anywhere near Snape. It's perfect!_

Harry sat in silence for a moment, wondering how he would find where Victoria lived. Follow Hedwig? How fast exactly did owls fly? Would Hedwig stop for rest breaks if Harry needed sleep or to catch up?

A creak came from the swing set, and Harry wiped his head around to look. He felt a tingling from the hairs on the back of his neck, so he pulled out his wand and stood, turning to find a large black dog staring at him from a bush across the street.

Harry pointed his wand towards to dog, in case it rushed him, before hearing a loud bang and a rush of air pushed him onto the grass behind him.

A large and deeply purple bus was suddenly parked right in front of him. Large gold letters glittered across the front reading 'The Knight Bus.' A scrawny man in a purple uniform stood in the entranceway to the bus holding some index cards, which he read off.

"Hello and welcome to the Knight Bus, here to help any stranded witch or wizards, just raise your wand over the road and…" the man trailed off. He looked over his index cards, to the right, to the left, and then down.

"What cho doing down there?"

"I fell," said Harry, recovering from the shock and standing up.

"And what did cho fall over for?"

"I didn't do it on purpose," said Harry indignantly. "Who are you, any way?"

"Um," the man said, shuffling through his index cards, "I'm Stan Shunpike, and I'll be you conductor this evening. Watch your step and be careful of the candles; they do radiate heat."

Stan looked up at Harry again. Harry peaked around the bus. The dog was gone.

"What cho looking at?" Stan said, looking over Harry's shoulder.

"Nothing," said Harry.

"Then get in, no, I'll get that, go." Stan shoo'd Harry into the bus.

"Woah," Harry said as he stepped inside. There were beds everywhere, lining each wood panelled side of the bus, and there were witches and wizards both sleeping and reading in the beds. There were candles burning in brackets beside each bed.

"So where will you be going?" Stan asked, as the bus lurched into motion, and as Harry looked out of the window several street signs and houses leaped out of the way.

"Uh, where does this bus go?" asked Harry.

"Anywhere and everywhere. On land that is, this bus can't do nafink underwater, eh Ernie?"

The bus driver grunted.

"Right," said Harry, "well I need to get to London."

"Whereabouts in London?"

"The Leaky Cauldron."

"We'll let you off after the Lady from Bohemia. She'll be getting off in Edinburgh. So, that'll be eleven galleons. Unless you want hit cocoa. Then it's fourteen, but you also get a coloured toothbrush and a chocolate frog," said Stan, reading from another index card."

"Uh," said Harry, "here." Harry dug through his pockets and fetched out eleven galleons.

Stan counted out the money and deposited it into a slot which looked suspiciously like a mouth.

"Sirius Black? He was on the muggle news," observed Harry, noticing a copy of the Daily Prophet in a stand behind the bus driver. The article read in big bold letters, 'BLACK STILL AT LARGE.'

"Black?" said Stan, "course he was. Where've you been, uh, what did you say your name woss?"

"Neville," said Harry, naming the first person he could think of, "Neville Longbottom."

"Yeah," said Stan, "where've you been, surprised to see Black on the muggle news. They'd do anything to catch him, The Ministry. Big supporter of You-know-who."

"How'd he break out of Azkaban?" asked Harry, grabbing a copy of the Prophet.

"Well wouldn't everyone like to know that," said Stan. "But he knew himself a great lot of dark magic, didn't he? Killing thirteen people with one curse."

"He killed thirteen people with one curse?" asked Harry, staring down at the rugged photo of Sirius Black.

"Blimey Neville," said Stan, where have you been? When You-know-who was vanquished after killin' Lily and James Potter, Black was mad with rage! He wanted revenge, so he goes and kills a friend of the Potters' and a bunch a muggles with him! Laughing like a maniac when the Ministry came 'an got him."

"And now he's broken out of Azkaban," said Harry. He turned the newspaper over, blood pumping furiously through his veins.

"We ain't safe crossing the street," said Stan, "who knows where Black will show up."

One by one, or in one case a group of three, the witches and wizards left the bus, looking very pleased to go.

"Right," said Stan, after a lady from Bohemia got of the bus, or at least Harry figured she was the lady from Bohemia because they were in Edinburgh. "Next stop London."

The bus flew into motion again, and after a couple long moments Harry recognised the narrow streets of London. They pulled up in front of the Leaky Cauldron, and Harry jumped out of the bus quickly, before helping Stan lower his trunk.

"Thanks," said Harry, "goodbye then."

_But Stan wasn't paying attention. Standing in the doorway of the bus, he was goggling at the shadowy entrance to the Leaky Cauldron._

_"There you are, Harry," said a voice._

_Before Harry could turn, he felt a hand on his shoulder. At the same time, Stan shouted, "Blimey! Ern, come 'ere! Come 'ere!"_

_Harry looked up at the owner of the hand on his shoulder and felt a bucketful of ice cascade into his stomach – he had walked right into Cornelius Fudge, the Minister for Magic himself._

_Stan leapt onto the pavement beside them._

_"What didja call Neville, Minister?" he said excitedly._

_Fudge, a portly little man in a long pinstriped cloak, looked cold and exhausted._

_"Neville?" he repeated, frowning. "This is Harry Potter."_

"Ern, Ern! This is Harry Potter! I can see his scar!"

"Well," said Fudge, "I thank the Knight Bus for getting him here safe, but Harry and I need to be getting along now…"

Harry waved a half hearted goodbye to Stan, as Fudge guided him into the Leaky Cauldron.

"Well Harry," Fudge said, smiling as he surveyed Harry in the light of the bar. The place was empty, and Harry wondered how late it was.

Tom, the barman, hobbled over and offered the Minister and Harry tea. Harry refused, but Fudge accepted a cup.

"My Aunt–" begun Harry, but he closed his mouth not sure if he should say more. Maybe he would be getting a lawyer or something.

"Is back to normal, don't worry m'boy," said Fudge, "and your other Aunt and Uncle are prepared to take you back, provided you remain at Hogwarts over Christmas and Easter."

"I always do that," said Harry, thinking it better not to mention that he did not want to go back there.

"And as for the rest of the holidays, I think you should remain here at the Leaky Cauldron. I've went ahead and arranged for Tom to get you a room."

"Oh," said Harry, "um, but what about my punishment?"

"Punishment?" repeated Fudge, "what do you mean?" Fudge raised the cup to his lips and took what appeared to be a long sip of tea.

"I've broken The Decree for the Restriction of Underage Wizardry!"

"Oh that," said Fudge, wavering Harry off with his left hand, "the ministry doesn't expel people for a small matter such as blowing up their aunts!"

Fudge let out a rather high pitched laugh.

"But," said Harry, tilting his head slightly, "last year the ministry sent me an official letter saying I'd be expelled if I did any more magic outside school, after a house elf smashed a cake in the living room!"

"Erm," said Fudge, "things change. You don't want to be punished do you?

"No," said Harry.

"Well then, what is the fuss about?" said Fudge, "the ministry is just glad you got here safe. Which reminds me, it's best you don't go out into muggle London while you're here."

"Alright," said Harry.

Tom walked into the bar with a set of keys. He handed one set to Harry, then begun to take the trunk upstairs.

Fudge turned to leave.

"Any luck with Black?" asked Harry.

Fudge dropped his tea cup, than muttered something before using his wand to fix the cup and clear off the tea. "Sirius Black? No, Why do you ask?"

"I've seen him on the news," said Harry, "good luck catching him."

"Oh," said Fudge, "thank you."


	4. Awkward

AWKWARD

"WHAT!"

Lily's scream managed to echo through the sound proofed walls of the manor, intercepting Victoria as she got dressed. Her eyes widened and she quickly slipped on a medium sized t-shirt, and flew down the stairs. Literally. With the help of a certain ring of course.

"What's going on," Victoria said, walking into the living room to find her father, mother, and Dumbledore all standing together in the corner furthest from the TV.

"Last night, there was an altercation," began Dumbledore.

"Your brother blew up someone referred to as Aunt Marge," Severus cut in, smirking. His face showed a certain amount of calmness, which seemed to be the exact opposite of Lily's. Lily's arms were spread wide and her hair was attracting an abnormal amount of static. Her eyes were very much open, eyebrows furrowed, and she was biting her lips with the determination of a Gryffindor.

"Merlin!" said Victoria, turning away from her parents to Dumbledore. "Has he been expelled?" Victoria regretted the question the moment she asked it. Of course Dumbledore wouldn't let his boy protege be expelled. _Why doesn't Dumbledore go have his own kid? Than Harry could come stay with us and he and Dad would learn to like each other and Mom would be so happy._

"No," said Dumbledore, "but after Harry ran away the Ministry was inclined to be concerned for how they would look in light of Harry's flight. Especially if Sirius Black murdered him."

"But Sirius wouldn't," Lily began.

"The ministry doesn't know that," Dumbledore said, "The point is, Harry will be staying at the Leaky Cauldron for the remained of the summer. Don't worry Lily - Harry has shown exemplary maturity. He will be fine."

Severus coughed, glancing at Victoria. She held back a smile.

"I am also having a couple people keep an eye on Harry, Tom at the Leaky Cauldron, Florence from the ice cream shop," said Dumbledore, "and perhaps I'll have a few others from the Order drop by."

"Does the Order still meet? But how come–"

"Lily," said Dumbledore in a patronisingly gentle tone, "I keep in touch. But we are not meeting. There are other important things in everyone's life right now, and their is no need to panic everyone for a day which, optimistically, might never come."

Lily looked at the ground, and Severus moved to put his arm around her.

Dumbledore frowned, and looked at Victoria. "So how are you doing? Studying? Having some fresh air?"

"Planning a trip to Diagon Alley," Victoria retorted.

"Oh, well, right then," said Dumbledore. He shifted his weight from one foot to the other. "Well, I just came by to inform you of the change in Harry's location. I'll come by again if theres any more news."

"Sure you will," Severus said under his breath.

If Dumbledore heard Severus' comment, he didn't show any sign of it.

"If you'll excuse me," Dumbledore said, heading over to their fireplace, walking between Severus and Lily, lighting a flame, and tossing some floo powder in. "Headmasters office."

There was a flash and a bang, and then Dumbledore was gone.

"I don't get it," said Lily, "he was different, so different when- before-"

"I don't know about that," Severus said using the arm he had slid around Lily to pull her closer, "I think you're just blind to the bad side of people. Of most people, anyway."

"Oh," said Lily, frowning as she looked at the ground again. "Imagine that: Running away. And he's only thirteen."

"Running away from Petunia? I can imagine that, very well actually."

"Severus!" Lily gasped.

Victoria fell into a fit of giggling.

Lily smiled, and reached for her daughter, pulling her into a three way hug with Severus. "I'm so glad I have you both. I just wish that Harry were here with us. And your right. Tuney wouldn't take care of Harry the way I should be…"

"Maybe," said Victoria, "we should tell him that you're alive. I don't think I buy Dumbledore's reasoning – and I don't think it will help him–" Victoria cut herself off. She had been about to mention that Harry had a piece of Voldemort's soul inside him. Not exactly light conversation. /And it would kill Mom, knowing that. But it doesn't matter, Harry won't have to die unless Voldemort comes back. And there has got to be another way. A soon as I'm done working on the Parseltongue Potion./

"Er," said Victoria, "So, can we go to Diagon Alley today? I guess we need to buy me school things anyway."

"Alright," said Severus, "if your mother is willing to drink Polyjuice Potion again."

"Ugh," said Lily, "I was enjoying this break. But I want to see Harry too. Ugh, isn't there anything you can do to make it taste better?" Lily looked up at Severus.

"Sorry," said Severus, "it wouldn't be worth it to test it, with the temperament of Polyjuice."

Lily sighed. "Alright. I'll go find the vial." Lily pulled back and headed towards the storeroom.

"What about you," asked Severus, turning to Victoria, "is there anything you need to do before we go?"

"Feed Maxi and Nagini," said Victoria.

"Have you had breakfast?" asked Severus, glancing at the grandfather clock. It read just about noon.

"Ice cream?" said Victoria, pulling off the most adorable face she could muster.

Severus laughed. "Fine… since I missed out on doing that when you were four!"

Victoria made a face. "Hey!"

"Do you want ice cream or not?"

"Touché," said Victoria.

* * * * *

After arriving at Diagon Alley, Victoria dragged her parents straight to Florence's Ice Cream, for breakfast.

"Oh my goodness, Harry, Harry!" called Victoria, spotting him in front of Quality Quiddich.

"Victoria?" Harry said, taking his eye of the display case to turn around.

"Hey!" said Victoria, "Dumbledore told us you were here. Wanna come for ice cream with us?"

"You and Snape?" said Harry, turning back the the display case.

"Yeah, and Rose. She's my music teacher at the Manor," said Victoria. "What's that?"

Victoria gazed at the broom model in the window. It was the new design… a firebolt.

"Hmm," she muttered, "well are you coming or not? I'm sure that display will still be there in an hour."

"Uh," said Harry, "right. But Snape is paying."

Victoria shook her head. "Ay caramba."

"What's that?" asked Harry.

"It's like Merlin's beard, except it's Spanish," said Victoria. "Look! Dad! Uh- Rose! It's Harry."

"No," Severus drawled sarcastically, "we thought you'd found Dumbledore again."

"Da-ad!" said Victoria. She glanced at Harry, who was avoiding looking at Severus.

"Hmm," she said, "well I want cookies and cream and cookie dough ice cream with triple chocolate cream cake with a root beer."

"You're going to need a dentist after this," Lily (as Rose) joked.

"Are you muggleborn?" asked Harry.

"Oh, uh, yes," said Lily looking rather flustered for a moment.

"I'll be getting a waffle bowl of Vanilla ice cream," said Severus to break the awkward moment.

"I'll have the same," said Lily.

"Um," said Harry, "um." Harry turned to look at the big menu. "I'll have fudge and cookie dough ice cream."

"I'll order," said Severus, who avoided looking at Harry, "find seats."

When Severus left, Victoria sighed. "Harry, why can't you just be nice to him?"

"Nice! He hates me!"

Victoria rolled her eyes. "He saved your life!"

The three walked up to a table out in the sunlight and sat down.

"Only because Dad saved his."

"That's not true… and James didn't really save his life, he was half of the reason that Severus could've died in the first place," said Lily.

Harry turned to stare at her. "what do you know?"

"Um," said Victoria, "Rose was in the same year at Hogwarts as our Dads."

"And Mom," said Harry.

"Uh, right," said Victoria.

"Excuse me," said Lily, "I think I need to be right back."

Lily stood up and walked into the ice cream parlour, leaving Harry and Victoria alone.

"Did I say something wrong?" asked Harry.

"Um, she and Mom were really close," said Victoria.

"Oh," said Harry, staring after her, "Rose and Lily, that makes sense. But wait, how come she isn't in any of the pictures?"

"Probably because Rose took most of them," said Victoria, "she likes photography."

"Oh," Harry repeated. "Cool."

"The new defence against the dark arts teacher knew Mom and your dad too," Victoria remembered.

"Really? How do you know?" asked Harry, "have you seen Dumbledore?"

Victoria scowled. "He was by this morning to tell us that you were here. But I found out about Lupin – that's his name – when Dumbledore sent us a letter."

"He sent you a letter?!"

"Not me; my – my Dad."

"Oh yeah," said Harry, "right. I bet Snape was mad he was passed over for teaching defence."

"Oh," said Victoria, "I hadn't thought of that. But mum wants– wanted Lupin to be my Godfather, but him and Dad didn't get along in school."

"I bet Lupin would be a great godfather," said Harry.

Victoria burst out laughing, causing some customers heads to turn. Severus and Lily were coming out with the ice cream.

"I'm sure you think that," said Victoria. "I`m looking forward to meeting him too."

Author's note:  
Profile updated!


	5. A Change of Heart

A Change of Heart

After eating their respective ice creams, Lily, still disguised as Rose, took Victoria and Harry to Flourish and Blotts. Severus offered to buy the potions ingredients for them both. While Harry seemed worried that Severus might buy him faulty supplies, he was nevertheless pleased that Snape would not be accompanying all the day.

"So, Victoria said as they entered the bookstore, "I'd ask how your summers going, but based on the fact you blew up an aunt and ran away…"

Harry laughed, "Yeah, but it's not so bad anymore. I can wake up whenever I want here, and I'm surrounded by Wizards."

"Witches actually," Rose interceded.

Harry and Victoria both laughed this time.

"Even better, I guess," said Harry.

A sales associate from Flourish and Blotts approached them. "Hogwarts? Are either of you taking Care of Magical Creatures?"

"Yes," said Harry.

The associate paled, and pulled out a long pair of clasps and headed for a cage full of copies of The Monster Book of Monsters. "Wait," said Harry, "I've already got one of those."

"Thank Merlin," the associate said, and he was about to put away his clasps when two books began tearing apart another. "No, No!" the associate said, and began hitting the two books with his clasps until they let go of each other.

"Sorry," the associate said when he had finished, "we thought we'd seen the worst of it after ordering in the Invisible Book of Invisibility. Cost a fortune and we never found them. What do you need?"

Victoria and Harry handed over their lists and the associate went about about the store to fetch them their books.

Lily spotted the fiction books section, and pointed it out to Harry and Victoria. "Would either of you like to pick an extra book out?"

"Oh," said Victoria, "I bet there's another Anne of England book out by now!"

"Anne of England?" said Harry.

"Yeah," said Victoria. "They're a series about a princess named Anne who's a witch and has to get out of arranged marriages from her father the king while she looks for the one she wants."

Harry made a face.

"Whatever," said Victoria, "I like romance. I bet you'd like the Grovner Boys. They are sons of the head of the Auror department at the Ministry and help solve mysteries where wizard thugs try to take advantage of muggles."

"Like a wizard Hardy Boys?" asked Harry.

"Exactly," said Victoria. "You should get a couple."

Harry followed Victoria through the isles of wayward books until they came to a huge section of Grovner Boys books.

"Get the orange and purple sided ones, those are the best sets," advised Victoria.

Harry shrugged and grabbed them. He bet that Hermione might be more interested in what Wizards wrote about than he was. But he did have three weeks to fill so he might as well read some.

Lily found a book of Quiddich cards, which she bought while Harry and Victoria were grabbing their fiction books. She decided that she would anonymously give them to Harry for Christmas.

She had just finished slipping the book away, hidden by the undetectable extension charm on her purse, when Harry and Victoria returned.

"There were two more Anne of England books!" said Victoria.

Just then, the sales associate returned with a stack of books under each of his arms. "Here you go," he said, handing the piles to Harry and Victoria respectively, "you can pay at the front."

* * * * *

After all the shopping, Harry excused himself to go back to the Leaky Cauldron. "See you around," Harry said to Victoria.

"Yeah," said Victoria. "If I don't come by again see you at Hogwarts."

"You won't be taking to train?"

"No, I'd rather go with Dad. Plus I want to make sure Maxi is okay going through floo again, he was pretty spooked last time. And he's grown so his cage will be bigger."

"Animals go through floo?" said Harry.

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Yeah, just not on their own because only some birds can talk, and what if they said the wrong thing?"

"Oh, huh, I'd never thought about that. Well, see ya." Harry disappeared, more than eager to leave Snape's presence.

Victoria sighed, and Lily moved forward to put her hands on her daughter's shoulders. "I know honey," Lily said, "that was difficult."

_Maybe we should go behind Dumbledore's back. But how would Harry react. He's not a Slytherin so he might not handle the lying… but he must have lied to the Dursley's! But what about Dad? He hates my dad and if he knew Mom was with him…_

"Can– let's just go home," said Victoria. "I want to write another letter to Ginny and to Luna."

"Maybe you'd like to go visit one of them?" suggested Severus, "only for one night of course. But if you miss them."

"Oh could I! Visit Ginny I think, and Luna lives nearby do I could see them both, I'll write when I get home!"

Victoria spun gleefully in a circle, and almost missed the words her mother whispered to her father.

"See? She's fine. It's being cooped up that's pressing her emotions."

"Maybe," Severus whispered back.

* * * * *  
The next Saturday Severus took Victoria to the Weasley Residence. They'd brought along a surprise gift for Ginny… a brand new Nimbus 2001. _Her brothers are going to be so jealous_ Victoria thought smuggly.

Severus put his arm around Victoria's waist as they walked up the long pathway to Ginny's house. "I'm going to miss you," Severus said.

Tears formed in the corners of Victoria's eyes. "I know," she said, "this will be my first night away since…"

"VICTORIA!" Ginny's voice called, as a girl with red hair and freckles ran out of the funny little lopsided house.

"Ginny!" cried Victoria, raising the broom in the air as she ran toward her friend.

Severus continued walking briskly behind, holding Victoria's own Starbus 2002, which was bought for her at the same time a getting Ginny's broom. Before that, Victoria had only owned a Comet 360, second hand from Ann.

"Woah," Ginny said, reaching Victoria and hugging her, "is that your broom!"

"Nope," said Victoria, "it's yours."

Ginny's mouth gaped open. "For real? I mean… that's epic! Thank you!"

At this point Severus caught up to them. "Have fun practicing Quiddich, or playing Merlin. Or whatever you two plan on doing. Be safe."

"We will Dad," said Victoria, "thank you so much. I love you!"

"I love you to sweetie," said Severus. "I'm just going to go in and talk with Molly for a minute, then I'll be off."

"Okay," said Victoria. She turned to Ginny. "Wanna play Merlin?!"

Ginny glanced over her shoulder at Severus' figure, retreating into the house.

"Uh, yeah, sure." Ginny dropped her voice to a whisper, "Is this broom really mine?"

"Yes!" Victoria grinned, "I bet you're the first of your siblings to get a brand new broom, even if it's a little bit of an older model."

"Are you kidding?" Ginny said, "it's from last year! This thing is like a… a…"

Victoria beamed, feeling warm fuzzy feelings surround her. She felt like the magic inside her could have forged a house from the earth in the ground. (More very old dark magic, more difficult than it sounds even now. Do not attempt!)

"Well what are you waiting for," said Victoria, "let's try our brooms out!"

"Okay!" Ginny said, "I'll go get the quaffle from the shed. The nets right there, can you set it up?" Ginny pointed.

"Course," said Victoria.

While Ginny walked towards the shed, Victoria mounted her broom and flew towards the net. There was only one loop, instead of the standard three. Across the way Victoria saw a second single looped goal post but two loops would be weirder than having one.

Victoria touched the base of the net, whispering the words required to set up the Quiddich field so that the balls would not fly out of it, or bounce against any side edges.

By the time Victoria had finished setting up the field, Ginny had returned.

"Ready?" Ginny asked.

"Listo," agreed Victoria.

* * * * *

**HOW TO PLAY MERLIN**

1. Set up a set of goal posts. While the standard three would be nice, MERLIN works just as well with one loop.

2. You need brooms, and a quaffle or some sort of round ball.

3. Set up a starting circular line with a radius of approximately ten feet from the goal posts.

4. All players line up behind that line. The first player may toss from anywhere along that line.

5. If the first player gets the quaffle in the net, the second player may shoot from anywhere on the ten feet line.

6. If the player misses, the next player must shoot from wherever they catch/grab hold of the quaffle, around the net.

7. Each time a player scores they earn a letter from the world Merlin. (First goal - M, Second goal - M-E…)

8. For longer games use MERLIN'S BEARD or JUEGAMOS or HIPPOGRIFF.

9. Cheaters either lose one letter when caught, or are at a negative letter for their action.

10. First player who can spell the whole word wins!

Author's Note  
Thank you for reading! Also, special thank you to , for the wonderful review.

Also… last Sunday I did end up having ice cream for breakfast! What a coincidence! (It wasn't my idea that time though… it was just free ice cream after mass)


	6. Facing Dementors

**Facing Dementors**

After a wonderful time with Ginny, and then with Luna as well, Victoria felt refreshed. Her former spirit returned to her as she came home, where she divided her time between her parents, Maxi, and then with Nagini and the potion she was creating. Of course, creating a potion was very dangerous work, so at the moment most of what she was doing was notes, research, and a little bit of testing reactions.

* * * * *

Bright and sunny summer days soon made way to wet and rainy ones, as the days drew closer to September. Victoria now stood in her room, packing the last of her belongings for Hogwarts.

"I'll be sorry to leave this manor," said Severus one evening, "I've never enjoyed being home so much."

"Awe," Lily had replied, "Don't worry, we can all come here for Christmas. And maybe we could invite Harry! Even if he only thinks its because of you, Victoria–"

Victoria smirked to herself, remembering. Her father did not love this manor that much. But actually, she only figured her father was irritated by Harry. It wasn't a deep sense of loathing, not now that he had Lily. Of course, he still enjoyed whining and having self pity over the matter. Mostly as a joke. _If only Harry could get past the grudge. He was never really a part of it either._

"Victoria," Lily's voice echoed down the hallway. "Are you ready to go?"

Victoria gazed down at her stuffed trunk, and then at the remaining items on the bed. "Yeah," she said, but barely above a whisper. "Yeah," Victoria repeated, louder this time, leaning back so that her voice would carry well outside her door.

Picking up the smallest bag in her hand, full of her most personal and prized possessions, Victoria took one last peek inside to make sure the necessities where there. Kylen's rings. The so far failing project Book of Lies. The vial of Tom Riddle's blood, from the chamber of secrets last year. Victoria sealed the bag and headed for the door. She slipped on the golden ring and made her trunk feather light, before levitating it in front of her out into the hallway and down the stairs. She could see Lily in the living room fussing over the disguised face – some muggle woman – that the polyjuice had given her. Victoria figured it was really the hair which was upsetting her mother; nothing but flaming red hair could ever express Lily's soul so well. No amount of eyeliner and lipstick would content her.

Quietly, Victoria let her trunk down on the floor, and slipped the golden ring off into her pocket. If a pocket seemed like an insecure place to keep such a valuable object… worry not. Victoria had charmed all her pockets so that nothing put into them would ever come out unless she willed it.

"Where's Dad," Victoria asked.

"Oh! There you are. Your father is just getting Maxi and Nagini prepared for the trip. To save time they're going in a crate together… he's just laying down the law."

Victoria giggled slightly. Only her muggleborn mother would ever use phrases like laying down the law.

"You girls better be ready," Severus voice called down the corridor. Victoria could also her Maxi's feet scampering across the hardwood.

"We are, love," said Lily, putting away her makeup.

Severus appeared in the archway of the living room, holding Nagini in a crate and with Maxi at his side.

"Who knew you could be such an animal whisperer," said Lily.

"If the kids at school could see you now," Victoria said, laughing.

Severus scowled. "Somebody has to get them ready."

Maxi woofed, and licked Severus's foot. This only caused Severus's scowl to deepen, as Victoria and Lily laughed.

"I forgot to change out of these sandals," said Severus, setting the cage down gently, "Victoria, get Maxi in while I change them."

"Alright Daddy," said Victoria. She moved forward and open the latch. Nagini lifted her head to stare at Victoria for a moment, before settling back down in the cage. Maxi headed in and sat right by Nagini, back towards the front of the cage.

_Either keeping your enemies closer, or you're just mad_ thought Victoria.

* * * * *

After flooing to Hogsmead, the Snape family found themselves in a carriage to Hogwarts with Minerva McGonagle.

The first five minutes of the ride were entirely silent.

"Looking forward to taking third year transfiguration this year?" Minerva asked, finally breaking the silence.

"Oh yeah," said Victoria, "I'll be with Harry. Is he any good at transfiguration?"

There was another brief silence.

"I'll be there too," said Lily, "as an assistant, of course."

Victoria smiled. "Well, hopefully I'm not the one needing help. Seeing as I'm I'm the class because of advancement."

Severus chuckled. "You've never asked for help in any subject. Even I wasn't that good at school." Severus dropped his voice to a whisper, so that only Victoria could hear, "but then again, you are a Slytherin, so I'm sure you just hide your weaknesses well. Well done."

Victoria beamed, and glanced toward her mother. Lily hadn't even noticed that Severus had said something to Victoria, as Lily's eyes were fixed upon a pocket mirror again. _This whole disguise thing is stupid! There's got to be another way._

Before Victoria's mind could work towards critical thinking, she felt her heart go numb. A shudder ran through her body as all at once the negative thoughts came through her mind. _No!_ Victoria thought desperately, _things were going okay today. I don't wanna feel bad_.

Suddenly Victoria noticed it wasn't just her. The air around the carriage had filled with frost, and Victoria could see strange creatures, shaped somewhat like humans in black cloaks, soaring towards them.

As they neared, Victoria began trembling uncontrollably. _No, Victoria thought, Harry's going to die, I'm going to lose my power. Kylen is never gonna want to be with me. He'll hate me. He'll hate me when he finds out all the things I've lied to him about and he'll never be with me. No… and my parents will never have a chance to get married… no… no…_

* * * * *

"Victoria! Victoria," Severus' voice called through the darkness, pulling Victoria to reality.

"Daddy?" she whispered weakly, opening her eyes.

"Melin," he said, and Victoria could hear his care for her in his voice, "you really scared us… fainting like that."

"What time is it?" Victoria pushed her self up and took in her surroundings. The green lighting of the empty Slytherin commons provided cool lighting as she gazed between the paintings, statutes, and eclectic furniture.

"It's only five thirty," said Lily, coming into Victoria's view. "Here, have some chocolate."

Victoria gratefully accepted the chocolate and took a huge bite. Immediately the warmth filled her and spread throughout her body. There was still an echo of the emptiness within her, but the chocolate tasted like a glimmer of hope for her.

"What happened?"

"Those were Dementors," said Severus, and Lily's face clouded over.

"They have no business being here… when I talk to Dumbledore…" said Lily.

"The minister of magic has ordered them here for our safety," Severus continued, "due to Sirius Black. They came to check if he was with us. When I saw that you had fainted I produced a patronus…"

"You did a patronus? What is it?" Victoria interrupted."

"It was a doe," whispered Lily.

"Awe," said Victoria, her heart lifting a bit, "that's so sweet."

Severus's cheeks filled with colour. "Anyways… I'm glad you're okay… it really scared us how you were shaking… and then when you fainted…"

"You'd better get changed before the feast," said Lily, "I set your clothes on your bed for you."

"Thank you," Victoria said, standing gingerly. "I'm okay," she added, noting her father's face.

* * * * *

"I hope they catch Black," Severus said after Victoria left.

"Severus!" said Lily, "why?!"

"I don't want those Dementors near our daughter," said Severus.

"But Sirius is innocent, he shouldn't have to be around Dementors either."

"Between Victoria and Sirius–"

"Sev-Er-Us! She's going to be okay. But just in case we won't take her to Hogsmead this year. To keep her safe."

"Of course," said Severus, "and when we leave the castle we will use Dumbledore's fire, seeing as its his fault for not warning us about the Dementors in the first place."

For a moment, Lily looked like she might argue with that, but then she closed her mouth. "Alright," she said, "I hope Harry will be okay when he faces the Dementors too…"

Thank you for reading!


	7. Sorting it All Out

Sorting it all out

"Gryffindor!"

Another boy joined the Gryffindor table. But Victoria wasn't watching. She was staring at the entrance doors to the Great Hall, waiting to see if Harry might still walk in.

"Tobias Neiser," Flitwick called.

"Ravenclaw," shouted the hat.

An origami bird landed on Victoria's lap. She unfolded it.

_Harry fainted on the train. He's okay, but they made him go to the hospital wing anyway. Hermione is there too._  
_' -Ginny_

Victoria pulled out a pen and scribbled a quick thank you, before sending the bird back towards the Gryffindor table. _Harry must have been affected by the Dementors too. I guess he's been through a lot too. Maybe I shouldn't think so bad of him for judging Dad_

Turning back towards the head table, Victoria turned her eyes towards the new Defence Against the Dark Arts teacher, Remus Lupin. She couldn't help but feel some distaste for his shabby clothing, wasn't Dumbledore going to be paying him well enough that he could afford a nice robe for a feast?

_ What would Mum say if she knew I thought that? _Victoria thought. She took another look at her would-be-Godfather._ His hair is alright, but it's not long - like Daddy's and Kylen's_.

Victoria chanced another look down the long table towards where she was very aware that Kylen was sitting. He was talking with another Slytherin, Marcus Lieandro. Victoria hung her head. Maybe she should have written to him. _Ironic, how I've told him the most truths about my life, but I still tell him the biggest lies._

The sorting finished, and Dumbledore stood to announce the beginning of the feast.

Immediately food appeared in elaborate dishes along the table. Victoria piled onto her plate large servings of caesar salad, steak, baked potatoes and sour cream, as well as garlic bread. She glanced up at her father, who was eating from a dish of yam and sweet honey buns. No vegetables, fruit, or even meat were visible to Victoria, and she doubted that her father would have any. Eating healthy was something saved for when her mother was around, and eating favourites only was a freedom he continued to enjoy at any meal Lily wasn't present for. It wasn't that Severus didn't enjoy meat, or even some veggies, it's just that he enjoyed doing what he wanted even more.

The doors to the great hall opened, and Victoria turned to watch Harry walk in, alone. _I wonder where Hermione is?_ Victoria glanced at Ginny, but she was too deeply caught up in Harry's arrival to notice her friend's gaze.

"If it isn't Potter," Malfoy, a couple seats down from Victoria, sneered. "Pity the Dementors didn't, ah, affect him more."

Laughter filled the Slytherin students surrounding Malfoy, as he feined fainting.

_Bloody idiot, somebody oughta set him straight_

Victoria glanced at Harry, who was looking over at the table. Their eyes met, and Harry looked away. Victoria looked up at Professor Lupin again. Her father was glaring at the back of Lupin's head.

Taking a huge forkful of steak into her mouth, Victoria considered her options. She could try to visit Lupin tonightc but he did look awfully tired. And so was she. Lupin didn't have the same importance to her as her father, so she could wait to meet him. Tomorrow would be a Thursday, but she guessed that Friday or Saturday would work too, depending on if she was with her parents, her friends, or Kylen. _But the sooner the better_ Victoria thought.

Thursday morning Victoria woke up to find Maxi licking her toes. "Maxi!" she murmured.

"Roof," said Maxi, clambering over the deep green blankets to reach her nose with his tongue.

"Ah!" said Victoria, "no! Maxi!"

Several minutes later Victoria was washing dog slobber off her face in the washroom, with Maxi sitting proudly on the floor beside her.

"Fine, I'll feed you," said Victoria, "next time wake my mum up."

Content that her face was no longer slimy, Victoria headed into the mini Kitchen. She grabbed a couple mice for Nagini, tossing them into the oversized magical habitat her father had created for her. Maxi whined.

"I feed you first when you don't wake me up early on a day that has no school." Victoria said, heading to the fridge for Maxi's pork/carrot/rice mash up. She scooped a fair amount into a dog bowl and set it on the ground. for herself, she grabbed a large croissant off of the counter.

_There's no way Kylen will be up yet, _thought Victoria, _so I ought to try finding Lupin. He has to set up his classroom, so he's probably going to get up._

Victoria ate her croissant as she headed into her room. After adorning a deep green robe which she had set out the night before, Victoria picked up a clutch bag containing three of the rings from Kylen. Gold. Clear. Deep Purple. /Now I'll be okay for sure./

Stowing her wand into her new robes, Victoria walked back to the mini kitchen to scribble a quick note to her parents.

"Sorry Maxi," said Victoria, for Maxi had followed her to the door. "If I find Luna we will come back and play frisbee."

Remus Lupin sighed heavily as he surveyed his classroom. Of course, he had only become a professor at Hogwarts as a personal favour to Dumbledore. It would be unavoidable that eventually someone would realise that he was a werewolf, parents would be upset…

_There I go again. Ever the optimist. Fall term hasn't even started yet. Although, it probably doesn't help that Dumbledore only informed me about Lily's infidelity a week before my coming here. I just can't imagine. And with Severus, of all people. Well, maybe that's not the surprising part. I can't believe, all this time, Lily has had a daughter. Poor girl. But at least she wasn't in the house when it happen. I wonder what James knew about the pregnancy. I guess nothing was the way it seemed. I can't believe Sirius…_

Remus shook his head. Turning around, he noticed a little girl robed in green standing in his classroom doorway.

"Hello?"

"Hello," the girl said, offering her hand towards him. "I'm Victoria Snape, L–"

"Lily's daughter," Remus finished, "Dumbledore told me. I should have reconized you by your hair." Remus leaned forward to inspect the girl more closely. "And her eyes. Merlin, you and Harry both have her eyes."

She stated at him for a couple moments, before blurting out, "Mum wanted you to be my Godfather."

There was a couple moments silence, during which Victoria's cheeks went bright red, a shamefully Gryffindor shade.

"Did she really?" Remus whispered, "me?"

Victoria frowned, "just because you're a… I mean, well, I think she thought you'd be a good influence. And, er, I know she thought very highly of you."

_She knows!_ "thank you," said Remus. "Have you been baptized then? Or are you just informing me of Lily's wishes?"

"I have yet to be baptized. After you agree I still need to find–"

"Victoria," said Remus, "I don't think your father would like for me to be–"

"Oh, don't worry about it," said Victoria, "he might make a fuss about all you marauders and Harry publicly, but really his quarrel is not at all with you. Or Harry."

Remus mouth formed an n, o, and than u shape. "Well than Victoria, I'd be honoured to be your godfather. And I guesss I'll get the chance to know you this year."

"Yay!" said Victoria. "Now I only need to ask Narcissa–"

"Narcissa Malfoy?" Remis said, in amall most sharp voice.

"Yeah," said Victoria, "my mum was thankful that Narcissa was a friend to my Dad when she wasn't."

"I see," Remus said, which he didn't.

"Um," said Victoria, "sometime we should have supper. You, me, my Dad and um, Rose."

"Rose?"

"She works for my Dad, and assistant teaches here at Hogwars during the year." Victoria explained.

"I see. Well how about after term begins. I have a lot of work to do here for now," said Remus._ And a lot of thinking. _

"Er, alright," said Victoria. "I'll leave you to that."


	8. Transformation

**Transformation**

* * *

Victoria sent the rest of Thursday unpacking with her parents, frequenting the Slytherin Commons at every excuse, but each time not finding Kylen there. Neither Luna not Ginny stopped by, but, after all, it was the first full day back.

"Well," Lily said, finally satisfied with the arrangement of her favourite photos in the living room space, "I think we're good."

"Hmm," Severus said, coming up behind Lily and putting his arms around her waist.

Victoria smiled. The closeness and love between her parents always filled her with hope –. Well, mostly always.

"So," said Victoria, "I think that it's time we invite Narcissa over so she can be my Godmother."

Severus frowned. Lily rolled her eyes.

"Victoria," said Severus, "baptism is a lot more than just a ceremony where you get two Godparents… there is a lot of responsibilities involved. Lupin may have said yes but you ought to be prepared if Narcissa says no."

"Why would she though? Aren't I wonderful?" Victoria giggled. "But really, why would she?"

"Don't pay him any mind," said Lily, "he's Draco's Godfather. Of course Narcissa will return the honour."

Severus scowled. "Yet again my words of caution are overruled."

"Awe, Daddy," said Victoria. "I appreciate you looking out for me, honest. I can't help but be impulsive though, it's in my nature. And Remus said yes. And it's not like you disprove of Narcissa."

"Hmph," said Severus.

Lily rolled her eyes. "You can't stand it when other people are right."

Lily turned around to briefly massage Severus' shoulders. "It'll be alright. And if Narcissa comes alone, I think I could be myself. If that trust alone doesn't sway her, than she doesn't deserve to be your godmother, Victoria."

Severus gazed at Lily incredulously. "You're willing to take that risk."

Lily blinked. "Yeah, of course. I know how important she was too you. It takes a lot to earn your trust too, doesn't it? And your trust is not often misplaced."

Severus' face showed disagreement.

"Sounds like a plan," Victoria said, rather quickly.

"Why don't you go write her a letter now, Sev," said Lily, her hands still at rest on his shoulders.

"Very well," Severus said, "I'll send her an owl."

* * * * *

It wasn't until late Friday evening that Victoria finally tracked down Kylen. Of all places, she discovered him in the Room of Requirement, asleep on the deep green couch which they sometimes used to rest after attempting difficult dark magic.

Victoria ran her fingers along the stone wall by the entrance way, pulling together all the courage she could muster. "Kylen?"

"Five more minutes," he mumbled, stretching out his hand as if trying to turn off an alarm.

"Kylen, it's me!"

Kylen opened his eyes. Sighting Victoria he tumbled off of the couch in an effort to right himself.

"Victoria, hey, woah, how are you doing?"

Victoria walked over to Kylen, taking a seat on a cushioned stool which conveniently appeared as she arrived. "How are you?"

Kylen sat back on the couch. "Oh, well, the usual I guess. Can't believe it's my fourth year."

There was a brief, pregnant pause.

"Why didn't you write to me over the summer?" Victoria blurted, and then flushed at her tactlessness.

"I, well, your, I mean," Kylen started, frowned, then looked down. "You didn't write to me either."

Victoria frowned. "I know, but I was waiting, and then, well, you never did."

She paused. "What were you going to say."

"What? Nothing."

Victoria crossed her arms. "I'm a Slytherin. Perfect timing isn't enough to get passed me."

Kylen sighed. "I don't think you want to know. I don't want to upset you."

"I'm waiting."

Kylen rolled his eyes. "Okay fine. Your father wrote to me telling me not to bother you, that you were under a lot of stress and didn't need to be worried about me over the summer."

Victoria stared.

"Did it ever occur to you that not writing caused me to worry about you?"

"Yes," Kylen admitted, "but I was a little more worried what your father might do if I went against his orders."

"So you meant well," Victoria said.

"Yeah," said Kylen.

There was another pause. "Wanna try some new spells? I think I found one that will make water dance as a half liquid and half solid. I can't figure out how to add colour though.

Kylen smiled. "Maybe I can help with that."

Victoria pulled a notebook out of her pocket and opened it to a blue tab.

"Here it is…"

* * * * *

Victoria was nearly shaking with enthusiasm on her first day back at classes. Her first class had been Herbology with Luna. It was really too bad she hadn't had Herbology with the Ravenclaw's last year, as Luna's assessments about the abilities of magical plants when unobserved by wizards was fantastical!

Her second class was transfiguration with Harry, Ron, and Hermione. She had studied her transfiguration textbook more than any other, as she hadn't wanted to appear stupid in front of her brother.

Currently, she was sitting between Hermione and Harry, with Ron on the other side of Harry. They hadn't said more than hello when they sat down with her. In fact the entire class seemed to be a little distracted. Professor McGonagall was discussing animagi, which Victoria was considering, but no one else in the class seemed to be paying attention!

"Who can tell me what influences a persons animagus?"

Victoria raised her hand eagerly and looked over at Hermione beside her; Hermione hadn't raised her hand. In fact, she was frowning at a scratch at the edge of the desk. _What? It isn't at all like Hermione not to pay attention!_

"Yes, Miss Snape," said McGonagall.

"A wizard's personality is the strongest factor in determining one's animagus; however, ancestors, lifestyle, and climate may also have an effect in some cases."

"Correct. Five points to Slytherin," said McGonagall. "Now here I will transform into my animagus, a tabby cat."

McGonagall transformed in front of the class. It was really something to watch, the way her features changed as she became the feline creature.

"Epic," said Victoria. The rest of the class remained silent and unchanging.

_"Really, what has got into you all today?" said Professor McGonagall, turning back into herself with a faint /pop/, and staring around at them all. "Not that it matters, but that's the first time my transformation's not got applause from a class."_

_Everyone's heads turned towards Harry again, but nobody spoke. Then Hermione raised her hand. _

_"Please, Proffesor, we've just had our first Divination class, and we were reading the tea leaves, and –"_

_"Ah, of course," said Proffesor McGonagall, suddenly frowning. "There is no need to say anymore, Miss Granger. Tell me, which of you will be dying this year?"_

_Everyone stared at her. _

_"Me," said Harry finally. _

_"I see," said Professor McGonagall, fixing Harry with her beady eyes. "Then you should know, Potter, that Sybill Trelawney has predicted the death of one student per year since she has arrived at this school. None of them has died yet. Seeing death omens is her favourite way of greeting a new class. If it were not for the fact that I never speak ill of my colleagues –" Professor McGonagall broke off, and they saw that her nostrils had gone white. She went on, more calmly, "Divination is one of the most imprecise branches of magic. I shall not conceal from you that I have very little patience for it. True Seers are very rare, and Professor Trelawney …"_

_She stopped again, and then said, in a very matter-of-fact tone, "You look in excellent health to me, Potter, so you will excuse me if I don't let you off your homework today. I assure you that if you die, you need not hand it in."_

_Hermione laughed. _ Victoria joined in.

"So that's why everyone's been so quiet. Y'all are only a year older than me; I thought you're grade couldn't have been that much more mature!" said Victoria

"I wish," said Hermione, "people should pay more attention in class…"

Harry rolled his eyes, but he was still frowning. Victoria would have to talk to him about this later.

Author's Note: Large section of JKR's writing is in italics! No credit whatsoever to me, as all the copyright belongs to her!

Thank you to everyone who reads this, and especially to those who review! It's nice to know what everyone thinks about the story! So thank you!


	9. Defence Against the Dark Arts

**Just Another Day in Defence Against the Dark Arts**

Victoria didn't have Defence Against the Dark Arts until Wednesday afternoon. Normally, Victoria would have been excited for the subject due to her inherited passion for knowledge on the Dark Arts; however, this year everything seemed to be more difficult for her. Her usual extraordinary power was now fickle, and the only times she could guarantee the strength of her magic was after spending long periods of time with either her father or Kylen. A lot of the times Ginny and Luna were helpful too, but when either of them left her presence, she would immediately begin to feel anxiety. Therefore, today she looked forward to the class mostly because it would be with her future Godfather. Also, Ginny shared the class with her, so she wouldn't be alone.

Walking into the Defence Classroom, Victoria could see the differences from when she had first seen the room. Unadorned walls were filled with pictures of dark creatures, and newspaper clippings about survival stories. The decor other than the wall clippings was minimalist, but cool none the less.

"Better than Lockhart huh," Ginny said, causing Victoria to start.

"Oh, hi!" said Victoria, "did I mention–"

"Professor Lupin is going to be your Godfather? Only about a thousand times."

Victoria giggled, and Ginny joined in.

"Come on, let's go find a seat together."

After selecting a table relatively near to the front, Victoria and Ginny pulled out their books. Most of the other students had filed in as well, eager to meet the new teacher.

"I wonder what we'll be studying this year," said Victoria. "I didn't think to ask."

"Based upon the wall hangings, magical creatures," said Ginny.

Victoria blinked. "I must be tired; usually I'm the one who makes the deductions."

Ginny shrugged. "You have to let me have a chance to look brilliant sometimes!"

Victoria and Ginny laughed again.

"Close your books everyone. Today's will be a practical lesson."

Many gasps filled the classroom at the appearance of Lupin. He was dressed in clothing as shabby as ever, and was honestly quite pale. Victoria understood much of the causes of these, and was therefore unsurprised at the ragged appearance of the professor.

As the class put away their books, Ginny asked, "He and your dad were in the same year? They both look like they aged a lot for their years, but your dad has been looking a lot better lately."

Victoria considered this. "Yeah they were," she whispered back.

The class went through a brief attendance. Lupin seemed to know a lot of the names, and even recognize many of the faces, including Ginny's.

"He worked for Dumbledore during the war," whispered Victoria, "so he knows a lot of our parents from there and from school."

"Follow me," said Professor Lupin, once attendance was finished, "we will be going outside."

The class followed Lupin through the castle, in a not so straight line of pairs. They ended up at the strawberry patch, which had involved passing Hagrid's Hut. The pumpkins were incredibly large this year.

The class mostly whispered as they walked through the school halls, gradually increasing in volume as they headed outside. No one seemed to want to get the new professor bothered first, to see how he'd respond to bad behaviour, so early in the term. Especially when their first class would be a practical lesson.

"Alright everybody, listen up," said Professor Lupin. "In this field there are three Dumbalingos. Who can tell me what a Dumbalingo is?"

Victoria was the only student to raise a hand.

"Yes Victoria?"

"A Dumbalingo is a chihuahua sized creature that hops about in fields, which tries to mesmerise wanders into losing themselves in the fields, either by making the person dizzy, or by overwhelming them with hallucinations. All of this is done first through eye contact, and then the rhythm of a Dumbalingo's humming. When the affects wear off, a person is left quite senseless, hence the prefix of the word 'dumb' in the creatures name."

"Thank you, Victoria, you have given a very full answer. Ten house points."

Victoria beamed.

Lupin began lecturing, "Alright, so as Victoria aforementioned, eye contact is crucial to the Dumbalingo's power. If you have eye contact for even the shortest of seconds, the Dumbalingo will have a grasp over you, and will do its utmost best to gain a further hold over you. Therefore if you are aware of the presence of a Dumbalingo, avoid looking anywhere where you might make eye contact."

Immediatly, all the students were looking around to spot a Dumbalingo, so as to be aware as of where not to look and make eye contact. Ginny caught herself before looking, while Victoria merely smirked. Professor Lupin smiled patiently at the class.

He continued. "Dumbalingos are fond of calling whispered names, and letting out short 'peep!' sounds to attract your attention and get you to make eye contact. Watch out for these warning signs as well."

The class turned their attention back to Professor Lupin.

"There is, thankfully, a spell which will help you if you are becoming mesmerised by a Dumbalingo. It is _knofilius_. Repeat after me _No-FEE-lee-us_."

"_No-FEE-lee-us_," repeated most of the class.

"Very good," said Professor Lupin. "Now there are ten gold, and ten green flags hidden in strawberry patch. I will watch you all as you head out in search for your flags. Points will be awarded for the first house flag back, as well as for avoiding the Dumbalingos. Is everyone ready?"

"Ready!" many of the students called, eyes scanning the field.

Victoria rolled her eyes. "Like the flags are in plain sight."

Ginny giggled, "why enlighten them?"

"And, GO!" Lupin said, causing a slight panic among students as they rushed into the field.

_Alright,_ thought Victoria, as Ginny began walking, eyes cast downward, into the field, _there has got to be an easier way. Magic._

Victoria cast her mind about her summers' reading for a helpful spell. _Of course, the directional spell. _Victoria hurriedly reached into her pocket, pulled out her wand, and placed it on the palm of her hand. "Point me," she whispered as she pictured a silver flag in her mind, so that professor Lupin would not hear her should the spell not work.

For a moment nothing happened, beyond a slight twitch of the wand in her hand. Then, the wand rotated about 160 degrees to her right. Immediately Victoria set about that path.

"Hmm-hm-hm-hm," a voice said, not far from Victoria.

_Do not look up. Do not look up…_

About thirteen feet in from where she started, Victoria spotted both a silver and gold flag. She hastened as she headed towards them.

"Victoria!" A familiar but unrecognizable voice called from near here, and near the flags.

Victoria's head twitched, but she caught herself before she could fully look up. She gripped her wand tighter in her hand.

"Ahhhhh," the voice screamed, a horrific, blood curling scream. Victoria felt certain not only was the Dumbalingo staring at her, but the other students at well.

_It'll take more than a scream to trick me, this time. I won't look. I've learned. I looked at the basilisk, and I would have died if it hadn't been blinded. I won't look!_

Victoria let out a triumphant cry as she grabbed the silver flag. Of course, if any of the Gryffindor's realised that the flags were placed together, it would be a dead giveaway, but after all, Victoria was already sure most of the class had been staring since the Dumbalingo's scream.

With more confidence, Victoria placed her wand in the palm of her hand. Thinking this time of Professor Lupin, Victoria said, "Point me."

After following the direction the wand pointed safely to Professor Lupin, Victoria handed over the flag.

"I must congratulate you," Lupin said, "with the use of a directional spell, and for ignoring the Dumbalingo. I'd let you back onto the grounds to find more flags, but I think some of the other students need the practice more than you do."

Victoria beamed. "Thank you."

"I- oh dear," said Lupin, "you must excuse me, but I cannot have a student wandering off after a Dumbalingo towards the cornfields."

Victoria chanced a look out into the feilds. "Yikes, yeah, okay."

She wasn't sure if Lupin heard her reply, as he was already a quarter way into the fields. _At any rate_, she mused, _this will be a fun class._

* * *

Authors Notes: Yes, this was a slower chapter, but well enough involved in the points of Victoria's life at Hogwarts. For the record, Ginny found the second Gryffindor flag, but Slytherin took home the points by finding all of their flags first. (The second Slytherin to return was given the instructions for the point me spell, and so forth)

Only one student who meet the eyes of a Dumbalingo was unsuccessful in preforming the counter-spell.

All the best,

WritingHeiress


	10. It's Been a While

Victoria Snape X

_Querido Severus  
(In reply to your very overdue last letter)_

Severus! Why has it taken you so long to write? I had to hear about your daughter from Draco, for Merlin's sake! He wasn't complementary, but I can tell he's just jealous. And not only of the attention has she taken away from him (especially from his beloved Godfather!). Miss Snape sounds like a downright powerful witch! I would love to meet her, and to have supper sometime SOON of course.

Anyways, lately, Lucius is spending all his time at the ministry. He is in a bit of a "show-off" mode … NEVER TELL HIM THAT I SAID THAT … and was never fond of 'that oaf Hagrid' during his years at Hogwarts. I have always been fond of Hippogriffs, and am aware that teenage boys can goof off in class… but no one has ever asked my opinion on the hippogriff case. Perhaps the half-breed should have been fired, but the poor hippogriff doesn't deserve to be put on trial.

Oh Severus, there is so much to say! I really do miss you. Plus, your letter hinted that there was something else you'd tell me (I take it, not over Owl information) and thus am eager to meet. How does next Saturday sound? Lucius has a meeting with Board of Governer's member Hatie Jaklair. He is, of course, still bitter about his firing from the Board, and is hoping for some, ah, retribution. (Hence his many hours away at the ministry).

Seriously, Severus. It has been far too long. There is too much to say to decide what to write. I expect much better of you in the future, young man! Oh Merlin, I can picture your scowl as you read that. We aren't THAT old, you know. It's time you acted like it. Hopefully having a child will bring out a more youthful energy in you. I am serious! Seriously…

That reminds me… Black's escape. What do you make of it? Lucius refuses to comment, mostly because he doesn't want to believe a Gryffindor could be so powerful as to break out of Azkaban, while my 'dear' sister Bella can't. Honestly, though, I wonder how he did it. My sister's powers are by no means trumped by Black. She would've destroyed the whole block, witnesses included, with a single spell. In fact, I'm sure she thinks thirteen is a pathetically small number. Alas, that is my sister for you. With a little guilt I can say I am glad to be free of her presence for all these years, although I don't condone use of Dementors. I've never liked them.

On this sombre note, I leave you, so write back with your reply about supper!

Yours till next Saturday,  
Narcissa (Phlegm) Malfoy  


* * * * *

After spending all of her Friday afternoon spare with Kylen, and an early supper, Victoria was heading through the Hogwarts corridors in search of Remus Lupin.

_Ugh,_ Victoria thought to herself. _Why am I still upset about this summer? I would have listened if his parents wrote that he was having a tough time and not to write. Well okay, I don't really think I would have listened, but I wasn't put in that position!_

Victoria blinked back tears. _Doesn't he think that I'm worth fighting for. Not that I need it, but aren't I still worth that?_

So absorbed was she in her thoughts that Victoria wasn't paying attention as she turned the corner and bumped into Professor Remus Lupin. Lupin stumbled backward, and Victoria fell to the ground.

"Oh!" she said.

"It's alright," Lupin said, smiling as he leaned forward and offered his hand. "Are you okay?"

"Uh, yeah, I'm fine." Victoria took his hand and Lupin helped her up. "I was just looking for you actually."

"Really? What for? Have you set a date for–"

"No," said Victoria, "not yet. I still need my future Godmother to say yes. That'll be this Saturday though. Then it's just getting the church and everything. But, um, I wanted to ask you about Dementors."

Lupin's face changed from a pleasant smile to wide eyes with a slightly dropped jaw.

"Dementors? What do you plan to ask about them?"

Victoria gulped, suddenly self-conscious. "Um, I wanted to know if they're any good ways to fight them. I mean, my Dad can do a patronus, but I don't know if I could."

Lupin paused for a moment before speaking. "You're a very powerful witch Victoria. Not only in what I've seen but from what I've heard from other professors. I think you'd be very capable of at least a partial patronus, which would be helpful enough when facing a Dementor. I believe that you have a spare on Tuesday morning? You may come to my classroom then and we will start."

"Okay," said Victoria, brightening although she'd just signed away her only other spare period.

Lupin smiled back at her. "I will see you then," he said.

* * * * *  
"It's Saturday," said Victoria, for about the 50th time. And she wasn't the only one who was nervous. Lily had been changing her hair once every thirty minutes. But to be fair, Lily hadn't spent much time looking like herself lately. The next batch of Poly-juice potion for her was simmering in Severus's spare room. While Severus was dressed the same as always, he had spent the past hour and a half sitting on the couch staring off into space. Victoria figured he was mostly worried because family meals were not his style. Quazy, Victoria's house elf, had picked up on the nervous energy and was re dusting the room for about the thousandth time. Realistically, it was the fifth time, but Victoria felt like Quazy had been dusting for days.

"Is it time yet?"

"Almost, sweetie," Lily said. "Maybe we could set the appetisers out now…?"

In a flash, Quazy had stopped dusting and fetched the appetiser options: Chicken Caesar salad, nachos and cheese, and cauldron crackers with cheese. Victoria immediately went over to eat a nacho chip.

"Victoria!" Lily reprimanded.

"Just testing it," said Victoria, taking a second nacho before moving away from the table.

"I'll try some of those cauldron crackers," said Severus, causing Lily and Victoria to jolt.

"Jee," said Lily. "I didn't even know you were listening!"

"He is always listening when you least expect it," a new, cool, womanly voice answered, causing Lily to start again.

"Wow," said Victoria, her face brightening, "how'd you do that? The fireplace didn't even make a sound!"

Narcissa Malfoy stepped from the Snape fire pit and into the fullness of the living/dining room. She was dressed in a casual deep green robe, with a fancy black witch hat, which she took off and hung over the mantel. "Special floo powder," said Narcissa.

Severus stood, and silently walked over to where the three girls were standing. "Welcome," he said his lips curving upward at the sight of his only other good friend.

Narcissa glanced at him briefly, before turning to Lily. She was silent for a minute, taking in Lily's stature, flaming red hair, and her eyes. Her eyes flickered from Severus to Lily, and there was no doubt to anyone in the room what Narcissa was thinking.

"Are you," Narcissa began, "really…"

Lily extended her hand. "Lily Evans Should-be-Snape."

Narcissa's lips curved upwards, in the sort of smirk only a Slytherin could pull off. "Pleasure meeting you," she said, accepting Lily's hand. "But to be frank, I will never understand why you chose Potter."

Lily's face flashed shock, but Narcissa had already pulled away and turned to Severus.

Victoria whispered to her mother, "that was a Slytherin thing, she was just warning you not to hurt Dad again, in her own words."

Lily's face softened. "Thank you sweetie," she whispered back.

"So tell me," said Narcissa, matching Severus' gaze with her own, "how long have you neglected to tell me that not only is Lily alive, but that you're bloody living together with a daughter?"

Victoria gulped, now unsure if this was just a banter thing, or if Narcissa was really mad.

Severus smirked. "If I recall, you and Lucius were engaged three months and six days before you told me–"

"And you had just given me a bloody rag doll for my birthday!"

"Because you'd called me a–"

"Enough!" said Lily, "Severus has known that I'm alive since Christmas."

The two of them stared at her.

"Merlin," said Severus, "it was my turn to win! This doesn't count."

"Count's,"

"Doesn't,"

"Count's"

"Either doesn't count, or this one also counts."

Narcissa paused to think that over. Then she scowled.

"I think we're missing something," Lily said to Victoria.

Victoria nodded.

Severus' smirk turned to a smile, and he reached for his Daughter and pulled her into his arm's, so that she could face Narcissa. "We love to fight. Think nothing of it. Sometimes it's a petty fight, in which case we take turns winning, and other times it's the battle of the wits, which I usually win," explained Severus.

"He's lying," said Narcissa, "I usually win the battle of the wits because I'm more intelligent."

Lily paused, and then rolled her eyes. "I was beginning to think you were never immature anymore Sev, this is good for you, I guess."

Severus scowled.

"I'm hungry," Victoria whined.

Narcissa knelt down to look at Victoria. "You must be the lovely Victoria, as your father put it. I can see a lot of him in you."

Victoria smiled. "Yeah."

"You still should have invited me over sooner," said Narcissa, raising to look at Severus again. "But let's eat, I'd like to get to know this family that you neglected to tell me that you had."

"Good idea," said Lily, "come on in this way." Lily turned and walked towards the table. Victoria guessed she was a little uncertain about Narcissa's behaviours.

"Tenemos que hablar después de la cena," Severus whispered to Narcissa, so that Victoria could hear. _(It means 'we need to talk')._

"Sí."

When the four had sat at the table, Victoria immediately began taking some of food onto her plate, and so Lily, Narcissa, and then Severus followed suit.

"Is this all we're eating," Narcissa teased.

Severus chuckled, "Victoria's house elf is quite dedicated to feeding people, and I believe that today it will be steaks, potatoes, carrots cooked with soya sauce. It makes them sweet."

Narcissa paused, and then nodded. "That reminds me, thank you for sending Lieitva. We appreciate the help around the household, now that Lucius lost our other elf."

Narcissa shook her head, "Things were worse when my sister was around, but Lucius still has a temper with those he considers beneath him. But since Lieitva is still your elf, he knows he has to treat her civilly at least, or she'd run back to your service."

"I never knew you did that," Victoria cut in, before Severus could reply.

"That was before I knew you existed," Severus said, unable hold back a scowl at that thought, "but we are not going over all my life choices in the past twelve years."

"I don't know how you can stand it, working for Dumbledore," said Narcissa, "just think, if you had been with Victoria all this time perhaps she and Draco could have been friends."

"He's too much like his father," Victoria cut in.

Severus chuckled, "You haven't met Lucius."

"Yeah I did! I saw him once when I was with Ann and Rod. He was telling off a muggleborn for standing in front of him in a lineup! Just like when Draco," Victoria said, before her voice cracked, "with Hermione."

Severus frowned, leaning forward to rub Victoria's back. "I'm sorry, I know it wouldn't upset you so much if it weren't for that being what kept your mother and I apart."

Victoria sniffled. "It's okay, I know that was a mistake."

Lily reached over to grab her daughter's hand. "I think you would be a good influence on Draco. Maybe you could try to be friends?"

Narcissa bit her lip to hold back a scowl.

Severus chuckled. "Just Lily being Lily," Severus told Narcissa.

Narcissa rolled her eyes.

"On the other hand, I do think Draco needs some more intellectual friends, so it would be nice if they could spend more time together."

"Well," said Victoria, "probably.

Narcissa turned to Severus, "so how has your godson been doing? I didn't hear about this incident with, Hermione was it?"

"One of Potter's friends," said Severus, "but he has been doing exceptionally well at potions. Minerva is complaining about his transfiguration skills, but I suspect that he is just not enjoying the class and focusing his attention elsewhere."

Narcissa smiled, "I should hope he is doing well in potions. Otherwise I would have to talk to the professor…"

They all laughed.

"So," said Victoria, figuring it was as good a time as any, "I have a question for you Narcissa."

Narcissa turned towards Victoria. "Yes?"

Victoria cheeks turned flush, "would you be willing to be my Godmother?

Narcissa's eyes widened slightly, and she turned to Severus first, who gave a curt nod, and then to Lily, who nodded and smiled.

"Well Merlin," she said, "I wasn't expecting that, but I would be honoured."

Victoria beamed. "Yay! See, I told you she would say yes."

Narcissa turned to Severus, "you thought I would say no?"

"No," he said, "I was worried you wouldn't come right away, and Victoria isn't very patient. I thought you'd be angrier at my lapse in writing and visiting."

Author's note  
Hi-ho! Sorry so long for the update, it's just I've been moving and haven't had time or Internet! Anyways, a long chapter for you to make up for it.


	11. Memory

_Aside: To readers who did not read book one, Victoria and Hermione instigated the designing of a common's room for all four houses to peacefully interact._

* * *

**Memory**

Sunday 'morning' (it was three o clock, but morning in the sense that Victoria, Ginny, and Luna had only been awake for varying periods between twenty minutes and three hours) in the Hogwarts multi-house common room Victoria and her friends all sat playing her magic board game.

"So," said Victoria, "I guess this year is going to be somewhat uneventful, huh? No Slytherin's monster to fear."

"Well," said Luna, "the wackspurt population is concerning."

Ginny shrugged. "There's still Sirius Black. But there's no way he can get in the castle with Dumbledore protecting it."

"I don't get why we need Dementors. Black slipped passed them once before already," said Victoria.

Ginny frowned. "Good point."

"I'm not worried," said Luna, "Sirius Black is really just a missing band singer named Stubby Boardman. Father says he might reprint the original article about it now that Stubby has escaped. They really ought to investigate who the real murderer was."

Victoria chocked on a sip of water.

"You alright?" asked Ginny.

"Yup," said Victoria, taking a sip of tea before smiling, "I'm with my best friends."

* * * * *

Victoria skipped into the defence classroom during her spare, hardly believing it was already Tuesday. "Professor?" she said, entering the classroom.

Professor Lupin stood at the front of the classroom in front of a covered potion. Victoria observed a black steam that was swirling around the top of the clear lid.

"Victoria," Lupin said, "how are you doing?"

"Oh," said Victoria, surprised by Lupin's use of her first name. "I'm good. I've got an official godmother-to-be now. Narcissa Malfoy said yes!"

"Wonderful," said Lupin. "I look forward to the ceremony."

"My," Victoria paused, "my father is having the TA arrange the details."

Lupin looked at her for a long moment.

"Your father and her seem close. And from what I've noticed, she mostly sits in on second and third year classes."

_You could have been a Ravenclaw_, thought Victoria.

"Rose and my father have known each other for a long time. She's been helping him set up our manor."

Lupin nodded slowly, taking in her words, and perhaps deciding whether to believe her or not.

"Shall we get on to this lesson? I brewed this potion specifically."

Victoria peered at the potion.

"I don't recognize it."

"It's a depressant. The fumes alone will have the partial affects that a Dementor has. I brewed it because your father would have done it too well, and I didn't want the fumes to be over powerful, else we might end up sitting on the floor without the hope that anyone might come along and cover it, let alone practice defensive magic."

Victoria peered at the black mist swirling around the top of the lid, and shuttered.

"And what will I have to do?"

"The incantation is Ex-PEC-to PA-trow-num"

"Expecto Patronum?"

"Yes, exactly," said Professor Lupin, pausing to smile at Victoria. "Now I want you to think of a memory. A happy one. The stronger the better."

"Okay, said Victoria. She paused, biting her lip. _Well, meeting my father is a good one. Or our first day together as a family, when he knew I was his daughter_. Victoria chose the latter, and nodded at Lupin.

"Good. Now when I lift the lid, I want you to think of that memory while saying the words, Expecto Patronum. The mist will form the image of a Dementor, which should help you visualise your intended effect better."

"Okay," Victoria said again.

"Tell me when you're ready."

Victoria pulled out her wand, and took a couple steps back. She focused her eyes on the potion ahead of her. "Ready."

Lupin lifted the lid, and Victoria began to bring the memory to the front of her mind. _And I gave him the scrapbook, and he loved it_.

The dark fumes began to form above the cauldron, creating a solid mass which loomed over her. Victoria focused further on the memory, but the happy thoughts seemed to be melting away. _I didn't tell him about mum, I should have told him, told him then_.

"The spell, Victoria," Lupin said, breaking through her thoughts.

_The spell. Right,_ thought Victoria, _but this won't work anymore._

Victoria pressed her thoughts. As she searched for a stronger memory, a solid image of her father and mother smiling at her formed within her mind. Without further thought, she said, "Expecto Patronum!"

Some white vapours burst from her wand, almost becoming solid for a moment before vanishing. Lupin put the lid over the cauldron.

"I'm surprised you didn't faint," Lupin said, walking towards her with a bit of chocolate. "Here, eat this."

"Why would I have fainted?" asked Victoria, before taking a bite of the chocolate.

"The depressant works very quickly; usually in the first few times someone as young as yourself would fall quickly into the trap of negative thoughts, which take over until blankness is your only self-defence left. You must have exceptional control over your mind to have already lasted this long. Although, I seem to recall, control of the mind was a quality the prince family line was renowned for."

"Really?" said Victoria, finishing off her piece of chocolate. Already it's warmth was spreading through her.

"Yes," said Lupin. "Others that might interest you are that Malfoys are known for persuasiveness, and indeed disguising magic. Weasleys are of course known for their connection to magical animals."

"I didn't know any of this…"

"Perhaps you'd enjoy reading the Directus Preceptus, the old version of the pureblood directory which includes fifty names. After a large number of muggleborn marriages a new list was researched in the 30s. Names were dropped if there were no male heirs, as was the case for your grandfather Merl Prince, as his wife was beyond childbearing and they only had a daughter, Eileen. Of course her marriage would have eventually gotten them off the list as well. I don't recommend the new version. It is highly biased in terms of written content."

"Interesting," Victoria said, her attention wavering after a mental note was made to look up the original directory.

"Shall we try again? I believe you are capable of a full patronus, with a mind as powerful as yours. I expect you shall at least be capable of a shield at the moment."

With the praise surrounding her heart, Victoria nodded. "I'd like to try again."

That evening, when Victoria had crawled into bed, she was still searching for a happy memory. Although she had managed to complete a shield during the lesson, she knew that she could do better. She could be doing better in a lot of things.

"What is it that's stopping me," she asked herself.

"Woof," Maxi said, deciding it was a good time to get off of Victoria's feet and move up to her chest for a massage.

"Maybe," said Victoria, "but I have no idea what you mean by that Maxi."

Victoria pauses, reaching for Maxi's face to massage him. "But I still love you."

* * *

Author's note: _Alas, if only she knew that was all that mattered. Anyway, a montage would be nice right about now, but things will be moving quickly without such a power. Hope the wait wasn't too long._


	12. A Storm's Brewing Pt 1

Authors note: Bold is JKR's writing, not mine!

* * *

**A STORM'S BREWING Pt. 1**

Victoria raised her wand, and attempted the spell again. This time the rug turned a deep blue, before adding the animals of the ocean, swimming, to its design.

"Finally," Kylen said, relieved that there would be no more revisions to the spell. "I was beginning to think there would be more hope if we had walked past the Dementors."

Victoria laughed. "We wouldn't have had the chance to practice if we'd went to Hogsmead! But I wasn't going to go anyway."

Kylen shrugged. "Markus and Nathaniel went. I don't think the Dementors affect them very much though. They've had easy lives."

Victoria frowned and sat back on the couch, near Kylen.

"Something's not right," said Victoria. "I can feel it. It's like, things are going darke."

"Not this kind of dark magic," Victoria added, pointing at the rug. "Destructive darke."

She turned to look at Kylen.

"Yeah," he said. "I'm glad I gave you the rings. I think they'll help. But I can feel things are changing too. And not just this Sirius Black stuff."

"Yeah."

"But, maybe it's just the Dementors they've been causing all this fog, and stormy weather. And it's getting to us."

"Maybe," said Victoria, but she wasn't convinced.

* * * * *  
Victoria grinned again. The Ghastly Ghouls did one more trick before getting off the stage.

"Neat, huh," said Kylen.

"Yeah," Victoria said, turning a little red as she gazed into Kylen's eyes. _I wish you'd sit beside me all the time.  
_  
Victoria turned away, looking at the food in front of her and selected a Fuzz-pumpkin.

"Alright," Dumbledore said, "it's almost getting early instead of late, time to retire to your respective commons."

His comment earned a couple laughs, and students grabbed their last couple snacks before heading up to leave.

"Too bad Hallow's eve fell on a Sunday this year," said Victoria.

"No kidding! It's awful that we have to sleep on such an day for wizards."

"At any rate," Victoria said, looking at her watch, "I almost feel sorry for people who procrastinated on their Monday's homework."

Kylen laughed. "Haha, no kidding."

After most of the rest of the hall cleared, Victoria stood, and Kylen joined her. "I think I'm finally full."

"Or your stomach is just getting sick."

Victoria made a face.

Kylen laughed. "That was a lot of sugar you had! Me too, really."

"That's what Halloween is really for," said Victoria, shrugging as they walked out of the hall.

For the first portion of the walk towards the commons, they moved in silence. From her full stomach to her close proximity to Kylen, Victoria felt contented. _If only things were this calm all the time. Of course, not that the Gryffindor/Slytherin Quidditch match is coming up things might get intense._

Just as they were about to reach the commons' room portrait, a hand grasped Victoria's arm and pulled her around.

"Black is in the castle," Severus Snape said, "everyone is to go to the Great Hall and remain there for the night."

"He got in?" Victoria gasped. She glanced at Kylen, whose face had paled.

Severus dropped his voice to a whisper. "I sent a patronus to your mother. She will want to search the castle, so that Black isn't sent back to Azkaban, but since no one but us and Lupin know that Black is an animagus…"

"He will be safe," whispered Victoria. "What does Dumbledore think of this?"

"I don't know," said Severus. "You'd best be getting to the Hall before it's too crowded. All the Gryffindor's should be there already and I think you'd like to stay with Ginny."

Severus stepped back.

Victoria bit back a frown. She could tell that her father was holding back information. _Just cause I'm young,_ Victoria thought bitterly, _I'll show them._

"Alright," she said. "See you in the hall?"

"I'll be there."

**The food was delicious; even Hermione and Ron, who were full to bursting with Honeydukes sweets, managed second helpings of everything. **

**Harry kept glancing at the staff table. Professor Lupin looked cheerful and as well as he ever did; he was talking animatedly to tiny little Professor Flitwick, the Charms teacher. Harry moved his eyes along the table, to the place where Snape sat. Was he imagining it, or were Snape's eyes flickering toward Lupin more often than was natural?**

**The feast finished with an entertainment provided by the Hogwarts ghosts. They popped out of the walls and tables to do a bit of formation gliding; Nearly Headless Nick, the Gryffindor ghost, had a great success with a re-enactment of his own botched beheading.**

**It had been such a pleasant evening that Harry's good mood couldn't even be spoiled by Malfoy, who shouted through the crowd as they all left the hall, "The Dementors send their love, Potter!"**

**Harry, Ron, and Hermione followed the rest of the Gryffindors along the usual path to Gryffindor Tower, but when they reached the corridor that ended with the portrait of the Fat Lady, they found it jammed with students.**

"**Why isn't anyone going in?" said Ron curiously.**

**Harry peered over the heads in front of him. The portrait seemed to be closed.**

"**Let me through, please," came Percy's voice, and he came bustling importantly through the crowd. "What's the holdup here? You can't all have forgotten the password **

**— excuse me, I'm Head Boy —"**

**And then a silence fell over the crowd, from the front first, so that a chill seemed to spread down the corridor. They heard Percy say, in a suddenly sharp voice, "Somebody get Professor Dumbledore. Quick."**

**People's heads turned; those at the back were standing on tiptoe.**

"**What's going on?" said Ginny, who had just arrived.**

**A moment later, Professor Dumbledore was there, sweeping toward the portrait; the Gryffindors squeezed together to let him through, and Harry, Ron, and Hermione moved closer to see what the trouble was.**

"**Oh, my —" Hermione grabbed Harry's arm.**

**The Fat Lady had vanished from her portrait, which had been slashed so viciously that strips of canvas littered the floor;** **great chunks of it had been torn away completely. Dumbledore took one quick look at the ruined painting and turned, his eyes somber, to see Professors McGonagall, Lupin, and Snape hurrying toward him.**

"**We need to find her," said Dumbledore. "Professor McGonagall, please go to Mr. Filch at once and tell him to search every painting in the castle for the Fat Lady."**

"**You'll be lucky!" said a cackling voice.**

**It was Peeves the Poltergeist, bobbing over the crowd and looking delighted, as he always did, at the sight of wreckage or worry.**

"**What do you mean, Peeves?" said Dumbledore calmly, and Peeves's grin faded a little. He didn't dare taunt Dumbledore. Instead he adopted an oily voice that was no better than his cackle. "Ashamed, Your Headship, sir. Doesn't want to be seen. She's a horrible mess. Saw her running through the landscape up on the fourth floor, sir, dodging between the trees. Crying something dreadful," he said happily. "Poor thing." he added unconvincingly.**

"**Did she say who did it?" said Dumbledore quietly.**

"**Oh yes, Professorhead," said Peeves, with the air of one cradling a large bombshell in his arms. "He got very angry when she wouldn't let him in, you see." Peeves flipped over and grinned at Dumbledore from between his own legs. "Nasty temper he's got, that Sirius Black."**

When everyone had gathered in the Great Hall, with Victoria, Ginny, Luna, Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Neville all gathered together in the corner, Dumbledore stood in through the entrance hall. After calling for silence he spoke to the students.

"The professors and I need to conduct a search of the castle. You will all remain here tonight. You will need," said Dumbledore, waving his wand, "these."

Purple sleeping bags filled all available space on the Great Hall floor.

"Goodnight," Dumbledore said, and walked out of the great hall. Many teachers followed him out; however, Severus strode towards Victoria.

Harry shrunk back.

When Severus arrived, he paused, as if wondering how to say what he needed. "Mi novia," he said finally, before continuing without pause, "es contenta esperar a que termine la búsqueda. Confío eres bien." (My _girlfriend_, is okay with waiting for the search to finish. I trust you're doing okay here.)

"Deseo ... Deseo que yo pudiera decirles." (I wish I could tell my friends and Harry the truth)

"Yo sé." (I know)

With that Severus glanced around – those nearby would have called it glared – and when everyone had looked away he kissed Victoria on her forehead, bade her goodnight, and strode out of the Great Hall.

"Lights out in five minutes," Percy called, "no talking."

"What was that about?" asked Ginny.

"He just wanted to assure me we were safe." Victoria gave a weak smile as they gathered in their sleeping bags in the corner of the Hall.

**Once every hour, a teacher would reappear in the Hall to check that everything was quiet. Around three in the morning, when many students had finally fallen asleep, Professor Dumbledore came in. Harry watched him looking around for Percy, who had been prowling between the sleeping bags, telling people off for talking. Percy was only a short way away from Harry, Ron, and Hermione, who quickly pretended to be asleep as Dumbledore's footsteps drew nearer.**

"**Any sign of him, Professor?" asked Percy in a whisper.**

"**No. All well here?"**

"**Everything under control, sir."**

"**Good. There's no point moving them all now. I've found a temporary guardian for the Gryffindor portrait hole.**

**You'll be able to move them back in tomorrow."**

"**And the Fat Lady, sir?"**

"**Hiding in a map of Argyllshire on the second floor. Apparently she refused to let Black in without the password, so he attacked. She's still very distressed, but once she's calmed down, I'll have Mr. Filch restore her."**

**Harry heard the door of the hall creak open again, and more footsteps.**

"**Headmaster?" It was Snape. Harry kept quite still, listening hard. "The whole of the third floor has been searched. He's not there. And Filch has done the dungeons; nothing there either."**

"**What about the Astronomy tower? Professor Trelawney's room? The Owlery?"**

"**All searched…"**

"**Very well, Severus. I didn't really expect Black to linger."**

"**Have you any theory as to how he got in, Professor?" asked Snape.**

**Harry raised his head very slightly off his arms to free his other ear.**

"**Many, Severus, each of them as unlikely as the next."**

**Harry opened his eyes a fraction and squinted up to where they stood; Dumbledore's back was to him, but he could see Percy's face, rapt with attention, and Snape's profile, which looked angry.**

"**You remember the conversation we had, Headmaster, just before — ah — the start of term?" said Snape,** **who was barely opening his lips, as though trying to block Percy out of the conversation.**

"**I do, Severus," said Dumbledore, and there was something like warning in his voice.**

"**It seems — almost impossible — that Black could have entered the school without inside help. I did express my concerns when you appointed —"**

"**I do not believe a single person inside this castle would have helped Black enter it," said Dumbledore, and his tone made it so clear that the subject was closed that Snape didn't reply. "I must go down to the Dementors," said Dumbledore. "I said I would inform them when our search was complete."**

"**Didn't they want to help, sir?" said Percy.**

"**Oh yes," said Dumbledore coldly. "But I'm afraid no Dementor will cross the threshold of this castle while I am Headmaster."**

**Percy looked slightly abashed. Dumbledore left the hall, walking quickly and quietly. Snape stood for a moment, watching the headmaster with an expression of deep resentment on his face; then he too left.**

**Harry glanced sideways at Ron and Hermione. Both of them had their eyes open too, reflecting the starry ceiling.**

"**What was all that about?" Ron mouthed.**


	13. A Storm's Brewing PT II

A STORMS BREWING PART II

Severus lay awake on the bed, staring at the starry pattern on the ceiling, something Lily found calming. Lily sat at a table in the corner of the room, stirring a cup of hot chocolate.

"I don't know," she whispered. "I can't think of anything in the Gryffindor tower..."

"This was the one night he knew no one would be there… what could he be after?"

Severus's mind flitted to Lupin, who was alone in his office, no doubt already feeling the affects of the oncoming full moon. "And how did he get into the tower."

"Sev," Lily said, "I'm sure he means no harm. I mean, what would you do if you broke out of Azkaban from a crime you didnt commit?"

"Look for evidence to clear myself," Severus said, his eyes narrowing at the familiar dog constellation above him. Suddenly, he sat upright. "That's it, isn't it. But what evidence is there that Black wasn't the secret keeper? That could be in the Gryffindor Tower?"

"Um," said Lily, dropping her spoon and picking it up again. "I don't know. Only James–"

Severus flinched.

"–Sirius, Pettigrew and myself, oh, and Voldemort of course, knew. Sirius doesn't know that Dumbledore knows, but I guess none of this has anything to do with the Gryffindor tower."

Severus's eyes moved onto the constellation of the great snake. "What do you think happened that night. Thirteen muggles murdered with a single curse… if it wasn't Black."

Silence filled the room as the full scoope of the significance of past events weaved together in the couple's minds.

Lily gasped. "Wait… you don't think…"

"Pettigrew is alive." Severus said grimly. "And more likely than not, Black is convinced he's in the Gryffindor tower. I don't know where he gets his intelligence from but that's concerning. I'm going to go find Dumbledore."

"I'll come with you."

Severus paused. "Only if you're under the polyjuice."

Lily cringed. "Fine."

* * *

The next morning Severus had continued his favourite thinking practice. He laid awake in his bed staring at the constellations on the ceiling. At the moment his eyes dwelt upon the arrangement of stars which had been so named as a Phoenix.

"Keep an eye on Harry," Dumbledore had said.

"What does he bloody well think I've been doing all this time," Severus grumbled. _Why do I even bother going to him. I give him valuable information and all he says is to keep an eye on Potter. And then poor Lily feels helpless to protect her son…_

Severus turn over to face Lily, who remained fast asleep on the pillow beside him. She had fallen asleep in her robes. Severus lent over her and kissed her cheek. "I love you Lily," he whispered. "You make this worth it."

* * *

Victoria sat down in the staff section of the bleachers first, taking her father's hand and pulling him down on her left. She then patted the seat on her right, signalling for Ginny and Luna to sit down.

"This is so strange," said Ginny, "getting to sit here."

"Here we're protected from this bloody rain, at least!" Victoria said.

Ginny rolled her eyes.

"Your house team agrees with you!"

The day of the Quiddich match had arrived – only it wasn't a Gryffindor vs Slytherin match. Today Gryffindor would be playing Hufflepuff, as Slytherin's seeker Draco Malfoy still had an 'injured' arm.

"Well at least we can all cheer for the same team to win," said Victoria.

"I don't mind when Ravenclaw loses," said Luna, "as long as its a good game. Last time the keeper was totally taken over by wackspurts. It was quite funny to watch, really."

Victoria giggled. "I bet it was."

Severus pulled out a bag of popcorn from his cloak, and handed it to Victoria.

"Undetectable extension charm on an inside pocket? Impressed face!"

Severus smiled. "Useful, daughter. Watch and learn."

Victoria laughed, opening the bag of popcorn and handing it to Ginny and Luna after taking a handful.

* * *

**The team changed into their scarlet robes and waited for Wood's usual pre-match pep talk, but it didn't come. He tried to speak several times, made an odd gulping noise, then shook his head hopelessly and beckoned them to follow him.**

**The wind was so strong that they staggered sideways as they walked out onto the field. If the crowd was cheering, they couldn't hear it over the fresh rolls of thunder. Rain was splattering over Harry's glasses. How on earth was he going to see the Snitch in this?**

**The Hufflepuffs were approaching from the opposite side of the field, wearing canary-yellow robes. The Captains walked up to each other and shook hands; Diggory smiled at Wood but Wood now looked as though he had lockjaw and merely nodded. Harry saw Madam Hooch's mouth form the words, "Mount Your brooms." He pulled his right foot out of the mud with a squelch and swung it over his Nimbus Two Thousand. Madam Hooch put her whistle to her lips and gave it a blast that sounded shrill and distant — they were off.**

**Harry rose fast, but his Nimbus was swerving slightly with the wind.**

**He held it as steady as he could and turned, squinting into the rain.**

**Within five minutes Harry was soaked to his skin and frozen, hardly able to see his teammates, let alone the tiny Snitch. He flew backward and forward across the field past blurred red and yellow shapes, with no idea of what was happening in the rest of the game. He couldn't hear the commentary over the wind. The crowd was hidden beneath a sea of cloaks and battered umbrellas. Twice Harry came very close to being unseated by a Bludger; his vision was so clouded by the rain on his glasses he hadn't seen them coming.**

**He lost track of time. It was getting harder and harder to hold his broom straight. The sky was getting darker, as though night had decided to come early. Twice Harry nearly hit another player, without knowing whether it was a teammate or opponent; everyone was now so wet, and the rain so thick, he could hardly tell them apart…**

**With the first flash of lightning came the sound of Madam Hooch's whistle; Harry could just see the outline of Wood through the thick rain, gesturing him to the ground. The whole team splashed down into the mud.**

"**I called for time-out!" Wood roared at his team. "Come on, under here —"**

**They huddled at the edge of the field under a large umbrella; Harry took off his glasses and wiped them hurriedly on his robes.**

"**What's the score?"**

"**We're fifty points up," said Wood, "but unless we get the Snitch soon, we'll be playing into the night."**

"**I've got no chance with these on," Harry said exasperatedly, waving his glasses.**

**At that very moment, Hermione appeared at his shoulder; she was holding her cloak over her head and was, inexplicably, beaming.**

**"I've had an idea, Harry! Give me your glasses, quick!"**

**He handed them to her, and as the team watched in amazement, Hermione tapped them with her wand and said, "Impervius!"**

"**There!" she said, handing them back to Harry. "They'll repel water!"**

**Wood looked as though he could have kissed her.**

**"Brilliant!" he called hoarsely after her as she disappeared into the crowd. "Okay, team, let's go for it!"**

**Hermione's spell had done the trick. Harry was still numb with cold, still wetter than he'd ever been in his life, but he could see. Full of fresh determination, he urged his broom through the turbulent air, staring in every direction for the Snitch, avoiding a Bludger, ducking beneath Diggory, who was streaking in the opposite direction…**

**There was another clap of thunder, followed immediately by forked lightning. This was getting more and more dangerous. Harry needed to get the Snitch quickly —**

**He turned, intending to head back toward the middle of the field, but at that moment, another flash of lightning illuminated the stands, and Harry saw something that distracted him completely, the silhouette of an enormous shaggy black dog, clearly imprinted against the sky /in it's spot between two sets of bleachers. /**

"**Harry!" came Wood's anguished yell from the Gryffindor goal posts. "Harry, behind you!"**

**Harry looked wildly around. Cedric Diggory was pelting up the field, and a tiny speck of gold was shimmering in the rain-filled air between them…**

**With a jolt of panic, Harry threw himself flat to the broom handle and zoomed toward the Snitch.**

"**Come on!" he growled at his Nimbus as the rain whipped his face. "Faster!"**

**But something odd was happening. An eerie silence was falling across the stadium. The wind, though as strong as ever, was forgetting to roar. It was as though someone had turned off the sound, as though Harry had gone suddenly deaf — what was going on?**

**And then a horribly familiar wave of cold swept over him, inside him, just as he became aware of something moving on the field below…**

**Before he'd had time to think, Harry had taken his eyes off the Snitch and looked down.**

**At least a hundred Dementors, their hidden faces pointing up at him, were standing beneath him. It was as though freezing water were rising in his chest, cutting at his insides. And then he heard it again… Someone was screaming, screaming inside his head… a woman…**

"**Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!"**

**"Stand aside, you silly girl… stand aside, now…"**

"**Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead —"**

**Numbing, swirling white mist was filling Harry's brain… What was he doing? Why was he flying? He needed to help her… She was going to die… She was going to be murdered…**

**He was falling, falling through the icy mist.**

"**Not Harry! Please… have mercy… have mercy…"**

**A shrill voice was laughing, the woman was screaming, and Harry knew no more.**

* * *

"Dad! Daddy!" Victoria whispered, tugging on her father's sleeve.

Severus tore his gaze from Harry and looked at Victoria.

"I think that Black might be here," Victoria said, nodding towards a dog hiding in the corner between the Gryffindor and Ravenclaw stands. "That dog only really looks at Harry, and behind his back."

Severus stared intently at the dog, memorising its features. "A mutt," he grumbled, standing, "figures. Stay–"

But Severus was cut off as the air suddenly became cold. As he let out a breath frost formed in the air.

"Oh no," Victoria whimpered.

Severus moved to put a hand on his daughter's shoulder as he looked towards the sky. Sure enough, Dementors were flying towards them and the castle. And Harry was just about to catch the snitch, with Cedric close behind. As the Dementors came closer, Severus turned to Dumbledore.

"He will faint," Severus said.

Dumbledore stood, anger storming across his normally passive features. He pulled out his wand, and just in time. And as Harry fell to the ground, Cedric's hand wrapped around the snitch.

* * *

Authors note: And by the time the commotion had ended, Sirius had gone! Bold is JKR writing. The / in the bold designates a minor change I made to JKR's pov.


	14. The Marauders Map

THE MAURADERS MAP

Author's Note: bold italics is JKR's writing

The last weekend before Christmas was a Hogsmead weekend, much to Harry and Victoria's chagrin. Neither of them would go, for the fear of passing Dementors, and lack of a signed form of parental consent.

Lily, on one hand, felt Harry to be safer in the castle, and yet she very much felt pain at her inability to intercede for her son. "What would he do," Lily exclaimed after a frustrating day of work, "If I signed a parental release form for Harry. What would Dumbledore do then?"

Victoria was inclined to believe Dumbledore would craft some speech about the greater need of Harry not to know, of the danger to Lily's life.

Dumbledore had forgotten, no doubt, that Lily was a Gryffindor. And life threatening situations were a no brainer. It was only Severus fear that kept her from revealing herself to the world. And how long that would be able to hold her back… who knew.

Although Victoria had continued to work at forming a patronus, she had yet to achieve more than a white mist. In fact, she was almost relieved when there was a mist. If it had been more consistent, she might have still gone to Hogsmead.

Tripping again, Victoria scowled at Castle floor. She tended to be clumsier when she was both invisible, and allowing her mind to wander. Not a great combination, but, this time Victoria hasn't been meaning to spy.

_"Early Christmas present for you, Harry," Fred said._

_What? _Victoria stopped in her tracks. Harry was an uncommon name in the castle, and Victoria suspected she was hearing a Wesley twin talking to her brother. The next thing she heard confirmed her suspicions.

_"What's that supposed to be?"_

_"This, Harry, is the secret of our success," said George._

_"It's a wrench, giving it to you," said Fred, "but we decided last night, your need is greater than ours."_

_"Anyway, we know it by heart," said George. "We bequeath it to you. We don't really need it anymore."_

_"And what do I need with a bit of old parchment?" said Harry._

_"A bit of old parchment!" gasped Fred. "Explain, George."_

_"Well… when we were in our first year, Harry — young, carefree, and innocent —"_

_Harry snorted._ Victoria held back a cough.

_" —__well, more innocent than we are now — we got into a spot of bother with Filch."_

_"We let off a Dungbomb in the corridor and it upset him for some reason —"_

_"So he hauled us off to his office and started threatening us with the usual —"_

_"—__detention —"_

_"—__disembowelment —"_

_"—__and we couldn't help noticing a drawer in one of his filing cabinets marked Confiscated and Highly Dangerous."_

_"Don't tell me —" said Harry slowly._

_"Well, what would you've done?" said Fred. "George caused a diversion by dropping another Dungbomb, I whipped the drawer open, and grabbed — this."_

_"It's not as bad as it sounds, you know," said George. "We don't reckon Filch ever found out how to work it. He probably suspected what it was, though, or he wouldn't have confiscated it."_

_"And you know how to work it?"_

_"Oh yes," said Fred, smirking. "This little beauty's taught us more than all the teachers in this school."_

_"You're winding me up," said Harry._

_"Oh, are we?" said George_.

Victoria peeked around the corner, and peered over Harry's shoulder at the parchment. _What could it be? _

_He took out his wand, touched the parchment lightly, and said, "I solemnly swear that I am up to no good."_

_And at once, thin ink lines began to spread like a spider's web from the point that George's wand had touched. They joined each other, they crisscrossed, they fanned into every corner of the parchment; then words began to blossom across the top, great, curly green words, that proclaimed:_

_Messrs. Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs_

_Purveyors of Aids to Magical Mischief-Makers are proud to present_

_THE MARAUDER'S MAP_

_It was a map showing every detail of the Hogwarts castle and grounds. But the truly remarkable thing were the tiny ink dots moving around it, each labeled with a name in minuscule writing. A labeled dot in the top left corner showed that Professor Dumbledore was pacing his study; the caretaker's cat, Mrs. Norris, was prowling the second floor; and Peeves the Poltergeist was currently bouncing around the trophy room._ Her father was alone in the classroom. She looked for the passageway to the staff residence, but found the map didn't contain it. _Probably because they'd never been. But any other time, Mum might show up on this map. Something will have to be done about that._

Continuing her search of the document, Victoria noticed several passageways leading off the map, many of them leading towards—

_"Right into Hogsmeade," said Fred, tracing one of them with his finger. "There are seven in all. Now, Filch knows about these four" — he pointed them out — "but we're sure we're the only ones who know about these. Don't bother with the one behind the mirror on the fourth floor. We used it until last winter, but it's caved in — completely blocked. And we don't reckon anyone's ever used this one, because the Whomping Willow's planted right over the entrance. But this one here, this one leads right into the cellar of Honeydukes. We've used it loads of times. And as you might've noticed, the entrance is right outside this room, through that one-eyed old crone's hump."_

_"Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs," sighed George, patting the heading of the map. "We owe them so much."_

_"Noble men, working tirelessly to help a new generation of lawbreakers," said Fred solemnly._

_"Right," said George briskly. "Don't forget to wipe it after you've used it —"_

_"—__or anyone can read it," Fred said warningly._

_"Just tap it again and say, 'Mischief managed!' And it'll go blank."_

_"So, young Harry," said Fred, in an uncanny impersonation of Percy, "mind you behave yourself."_

_"See you in Honeydukes," said George._

Victoria's heart skipped a beat. This, too, could be the answer to her problems. Dementor free, and an easy way to get to Hogsmead. In Media Res. She backed up around the corner, and thought about following Harry.

Perhaps, the happiness of this thought could be enough to produce a patronus to combat Dementors. She put the back of her hand to her lips to stifle a giggle.

"Wait a minute," said Harry, "this can't be right."

"Messers Moony, Wormtail, Padfoot, and Prongs are always right," said Fred, "bless their souls. They've done us so much good."

"But, the map shows my sister is just around the corner."

In about five and a half seconds all three heads were peeking around the corner.

This time Victoria didn't stifle the giggles; the three boys looked so funny, their heads prodding forward as if in search of a ghost. Victoria slid the invisibility ring off of her finger.

"I am here."

"Woah," the twins said in unison.

"How'd you do that?" asked Harry.

Victoria paused, and the held up the ring, walking forward to join the group. "Can I see the map?"

"Uh, sure," said Harry.

Victoria peered over Harry, looking at the maps and passageways of the castle as if for the first time. "Impressive."

"And so is that ring," Fred said, turning to George. "Extension of Invisibility. Whad'ya say–"

"we look into that." George finished.

"I have a book about extending the normal power of spells," Victoria put in. "I might be able to loan it to you."

Fred and George looked at Victoria like she held the philosopher's stone.

"We can talk later," Victoria said, winking before turning back to Harry. "What do you say we head to Hogsmead together?"

"You won't tell Snape then," said Harry, clearly relieved.

"Are you kidding? I'm a Slytherin. I live to break the rules. Or bend them. Whatever suits my purpose."

"Alright," said Harry, "we're probably overdue for some sibling time."

* * * * *

As Victoria and Harry walked together along the corridor, Victoria glanced over her shoulder one last time.

Fred rolled his eyes. "I'm really starting to–"

"Like that girl." George nodded. "I bet she could help us out."

* * * * *

"Do you think that it's safe to use some light," Harry asked as he entered the passageway next to Victoria, and the entrance sealed behind them.

She mumbled something that sounded like "Home-knee-um rev-L-E-O."

Harry paused in his tracks, wondering what she had done.

"Alright," Victoria said. "Lumos. It's safe."

Harry lit his wand as well.

"Let's get going."

For most of the walk, Harry didn't say anything to Victoria. It struck him then, how unfamiliar he was with his sister. They had never really done anything together. Or at least, gotten in life threatening situations, like he had too many times with Ron and Hermione.

"Hey," Harry finally said, quietly as they headed down one last curve towards what looked like an exit. "Er, do you know why Lupin's been sick? And what that potion is that–"

"My father gives him every month?" Victoria finished. "Yes."

"And?"

Victoria shrugged as they reached the tunnel's exit. "Nothing life threatening."

Harry wondered if she really knew, or if she was hiding something.

"What are you going to do when we get to Hogsmead?"

"Use my ring again. I'll probably go find Kylen or Neville."

"Oh," said Harry, "uh, I think Neville is a little scared of you, actually."

"Only 'cause my father hates him." Victoria shrugged. "He's learned that I don't bite. Anyway, I'll go through first, invisible, and knock when it's all clear for you to come through."

"Okay," said Harry.

"See you soon," Victoria said, slipping the ring on, "or not!"

She laughed, covering her mouth before heading through the entranceway.

* * * * *  
Once Victoria and Harry entered Honeydukes, they were both lost in a sea of students. Victoria took the ring off to avoid being trampled until she exited the store.

"I'll never find Kylen in this," Victoria muttered, slipping the ring on again. She gazed at the bustling, Christmas crowds shopping in Hogsmead. "Plus, I've hardly got any money."

Victoria glanced at the bell tower in the centre square. "Maybe just a butterbeer and I'll head back."

WARNING! Below is all JKR, but merely shows what Victoria overhears Harry overhear. Therefore, read only if you feel like it! All J K Rowling!

_It was extremely crowded, noisy, warm, and smoky. A curvy sort of woman with a pretty face was serving a bunch of rowdy warlocks up at the bar._

_"That's Madam Rosmerta," said Ron. "I'll get the drinks, shall I?" he added, going slightly red._

_Harry and Hermione made their way to the back of the room, where there was a small, vacant table between the window and a handsome Christmas tree, which stood next to the fireplace. Ron came back five minutes later, carrying three foaming tankards of hot butterbeer._

_"Happy Christmas!" he said happily, raising his tankard._

_Harry drank deeply. It was the most delicious thing he'd ever tasted and seemed to heat every bit of him from the inside._

_A sudden breeze ruffled his hair. The door of the Three Broomsticks had opened again. Harry looked over the rim of his tankard and choked._

_Professors McGonagall and Flitwick had just entered the pub with a flurry of snowflakes, shortly followed by Hagrid, who was deep in conversation with a portly man in a lime-green bowler hat and a pinstriped cloak — Cornelius Fudge, Minister of Magic._

_In an instant, Ron and Hermione had both placed hands on the top of Harry's head and forced him off his stool and under the table. Dripping with butterbeer and crouching out of sight, Harry clutched his empty tankard and watched the teachers' and Fudge's feet move toward the bar, pause, then turn and walk right toward him._

_Somewhere above him, Hermione whispered, "Mobiliarbus!"_

_The Christmas tree beside their table rose a few inches off the ground, drifted sideways, and landed with a soft thump right in front of their table, hiding them from view. Staring through the dense lower branches, Harry saw four sets of chair legs move back from the table right beside theirs, then heard the grunts and sighs of the teachers and minister as they sat down._

_Next he saw another pair of feet, wearing sparkly turquoise high heels, and heard a woman's voice._

_"A small gillywater —"_

_"Mine," said Professor McGonagall's voice._

_"Four pints of mulled mead —"_

_"Ta, Rosmerta," said Hagrid._

_"A cherry syrup and soda with ice and umbrella —"_

_"Mmm!" said Professor Flitwick, smacking his lips._

_"So you'll be the red currant rum, Minister."_

_"Thank you, Rosmerta, m'dear," said Fudge's voice. "Lovely to see you again, I must say. Have one yourself, won't you? Come and join us…"_

_"Well, thank you very much, Minister."_

_Harry watched the glittering heels march away and back again. His heart was pounding uncomfortably in his throat. Why hadn't it occurred to him that this was the last weekend of term for the teachers too? And how long were they going to sit there? He needed time to sneak back into Honeydukes if he wanted to return to school tonight… Hermione's leg gave a nervous twitch next to him._

_"So, what brings you to this neck of the woods, Minister?" came Madam Rosmerta's voice._

_Harry saw the lower part of Fudge's thick body twist in his chair as though he were checking for eavesdroppers. Then he said in a quiet voice, "What else, m'dear, but Sirius Black? I daresay you heard what happened up at the school at Halloween?"_

_"I did hear a rumor," admitted Madam Rosmerta._

_"Did you tell the whole pub, Hagrid?" said Professor McGonagall exasperatedly._

_"Do you think Black's still in the area, Minister?" whispered Madam Rosmerta._

_"I'm sure of it," said Fudge shortly._

_"You know that the Dementors have searched the whole village twice?" said Madam Rosmerta, a slight edge to her voice. "Scared all my customers away… It's very bad for business, Minister."_

_"Rosmerta, dear, I don't like them any more than you do," said Fudge uncomfortably. "Necessary precaution… unfortunate, but there you are… I've just met some of them. They're in a fury against Dumbledore — he won't let them inside the castle grounds."_

_"I should think not," said Professor McGonagall sharply. "How are we supposed to teach with those horrors floating around?"_

_"Hear, hear!" squeaked tiny Professor Flitwick, whose feet were dangling a foot from the ground._

_"All the same," demurred Fudge, "they are here to protect you all from something much worse…We all know what Black's capable of…"_

_"Do you know, I still have trouble believing it," said Madam Rosmerta thoughtfully. "Of all the people to go over to the Dark Side, Sirius Black was the last I'd have thought…I mean, I remember him when he was a boy at Hogwarts. If you'd told me then what he was going to become, I'd have said you'd had too much mead."_

_"You don't know the half of it, Rosmerta," said Fudge gruffly. "The worst he did isn't widely known."_

_"The worst?" said Madam Rosmerta, her voice alive with curiosity. "Worse than murdering all those poor people, you mean?"_

_"I certainly do," said Fudge._

_"I can't believe that. What could possibly be worse?"_

_"You say you remember him at Hogwarts, Rosmerta," murmured Professor McGonagall. "Do you remember who his best friend was?"_

_"Naturally," said Madam Rosmerta, with a small laugh. "Never saw one without the other, did you? The number of times I had them in here — ooh, they used to make me laugh. Quite the double act, Sirius Black and James Potter!"_

_Harry dropped his tankard with a loud clunk. Ron kicked him._

_"Precisely," said Professor McGonagall. "Black and Potter. Ringleaders of their little gang. Both very bright, of course — exceptionally bright, in fact — but I don't think we've ever had such a pair of troublemakers —"_

_"I dunno," chuckled Hagrid. "Fred and George Weasley could give 'em a run fer their money."_

_"You'd have thought Black and Potter were brothers!" chimed in Professor Flitwick. "Inseparable!"_

_"Of course they were," said Fudge. "Potter trusted Black beyond all his other friends. Nothing changed when they left school. Black was best man when James married Lily. Then they named him godfather to Harry. Harry has no idea, of course. You can imagine how the idea would torment him."_

_"Because Black turned out to be in league with You-Know-Who?" whispered Madam Rosmerta._

_"Worse even than that, m'dear…" Fudge dropped his voice and proceeded in a sort of low rumble. "Not many people are aware that the Potters knew You-Know-Who was after them. Dumbledore, who was of course working tirelessly against You-Know-Who, had a number of useful spies. One of them tipped him off, and he alerted James and Lily at once. He advised them to go into hiding. Well, of course, You-Know-Who wasn't an easy person to hide from. Dumbledore told them that their best chance was the Fidelius Charm."_

_"How does that work?" said Madam Rosmerta, breathless with interest. Professor Flitwick cleared his throat._

_"An immensely complex spell," he said squeakily, "involving the magical concealment of a secret inside a single, living soul. The information is hidden inside the chosen person, or Secret-Keeper, and is henceforth impossible to find — unless, of course, the Secret-Keeper chooses to divulge it. As long as the Secret-Keeper refused to speak, You-Know-Who could search the village where Lily and James were staying for years and never find them, not even if he had his nose pressed against their sitting room window!"_

_"So Black was the Potters' Secret-Keeper?" whispered Madam Rosmerta._

_"Naturally," said Professor McGonagall. "James Potter told Dumbledore that Black would die rather than tell where they were, that Black was planning to go into hiding himself… and yet, Dumbledore remained worried. I remember him offering to be the Potters' Secret-Keeper himself."_

_"He suspected Black?" gasped Madam Rosmerta._

_"He was sure that somebody close to the Potters had been keeping You-Know-Who informed of their movements," said Professor McGonagall darkly. "Indeed, he had suspected for some time that someone on our side had turned traitor and was passing a lot of information to You-Know-Who."_

_"But James Potter insisted on using Black?"_

_"He did," said Fudge heavily. "And then, barely a week after the Fidelius Charm had been performed —"_

_"Black betrayed them?" breathed Madam Rosmerta._

_"He did indeed. Black was tired of his double-agent role, he was ready to declare his support openly for You-Know-Who, and he seems to have planned this for the moment of the Potters' death. But, as we all know, You-Know-Who met his downfall in little Harry Potter. Powers gone, horribly weakened, he fled. And this left Black in a very nasty position indeed. His master had fallen at the very moment when he, Black, had shown his true colors as a traitor. He had no choice but to run for it —"_

_"Filthy, stinkin' turncoat!" Hagrid said, so loudly that half the bar went quiet._

_"Shh!" said Professor McGonagall._

_"I met him!" growled Hagrid. "I musta bin the last ter see him before he killed all them people! It was me what rescued Harry from Lily an' James's house after they was killed! Jus' got him outta the ruins, poor little thing, with a great slash across his forehead, an' his parents dead… an' Sirius Black turns up, on that flyin' motorbike he used ter ride. Never occurred ter me what he was doin' there. I didn' know he'd bin Lily an' James's Secret-Keeper. Thought he'd jus' heard the news o' You-Know-Who's attack an' come ter see what he could do. White an' shakin', he was. An' yeh know what I did? I COMFORTED THE MURDERIN' TRAITOR!" Hagrid roared._

_"Hagrid, please!" said Professor McGonagall. "Keep your voice down!"_

_"How was I ter know he wasn' upset abou' Lily an' James? It was You-Know-Who he cared abou'. An' then he says, 'Give Harry ter me, Hagrid, I'm his godfather, I'll look after him — Ha! But I'd had me orders from Dumbledore, an' I told Black no, Dumbledore said Harry was ter go ter his aunt an' uncle's. Black argued, but in the end he gave in. Told me ter take his motorbike ter get Harry there. 'I won't need it anymore,' he says. "I shoulda known there was somethin' fishy goin' on then. He loved that motorbike, what was he givin' it ter me for? Why wouldn' he need it anymore? Fact was, it was too easy ter trace. Dumbledore knew he'd bin the Potters' Secret-Keeper. Black knew he was goin' ter have ter run fer it that night, knew it was a matter o' hours before the Ministry was after him. But what if I'd given Harry to him, eh? I bet he'd've pitched him off the bike halfway out ter sea. His bes' friends' son! But when a wizard goes over ter the Dark Side, there's nothin' and no one that matters to em anymore…"_

_A long silence followed Hagrid's story. Then Madam Rosmerta said with some satisfaction, "But he didn't manage to disappear, did he? The Ministry of Magic caught up with him next day!"_

_"Alas, if only we had," said Fudge bitterly. "It was not we who found him. It was little Peter Pettigrew — another of the Potters' friends. Maddened by grief, no doubt, and knowing that Black had been the Potters' Secret-Keeper, he went after Black himself."_

_"Pettigrew… that fat little boy who was always tagging around after them at Hogwarts?" said Madam Rosmerta._

_"Hero — worshipped Black and Potter," said Professor McGonagall. "Never quite in their league, talent-wise. I was often rather sharp with him. You can imagine how I — how I regret that now…" She sounded as though she had a sudden head cold._

_"There, now, Minerva," said Fudge kindly, "Pettigrew died a hero's death. Eyewitnesses — Muggles, of course, we wiped their memories later — told us how Pettigrew cornered Black. They say he was sobbing, 'Lily and James, Sirius! How could you?' And then he went for his wand. Well, of course, Black was quicker. Blew Pettigrew to smithereens…"_

_Professor McGonagall blew her nose and said thickly, "Stupid boy… foolish boy… he was always hopeless at dueling… should have left it to the Ministry…"_

_"I tell yeh, if I'd got ter Black before little Pettigrew did, I wouldn't've messed around with wands — I'd 've ripped him limb — from — limb," Hagrid growled._

_"You don't know what you're talking about, Hagrid," said Fudge sharply. "Nobody but trained Hit Wizards from the Magical Law Enforcement Squad would have stood a chance against Black once he was cornered. I was Junior Minister in the Department of Magical Catastrophes at the time, and I was one of the first on the scene after Black murdered all those people. I — I will never forget it. I still dream about it sometimes. A crater in the middle of the street, so deep it had cracked the sewer below. Bodies everywhere. Muggles screaming. And Black standing there laughing, with what was left of Pettigrew in front of him… a heap of bloodstained robes and a few — a few fragments —"_

_Fudge's voice stopped abruptly. There was the sound of five noses being blown._

_"Well, there you have it, Rosmerta," said Fudge thickly. "Black was taken away by twenty members of the Magical Law Enforcement Squad and Pettigrew received the Order of Merlin, First Class, which I think was some comfort to his poor mother. Black's been in Azkaban ever since."_

_Madam Rosmerta let out a long sigh._

_"Is it true he's mad, Minister?"_

_"I wish I could say that he was," said Fudge slowly. "I certainly believe his master's defeat unhinged him for a while. The murder of Pettigrew and all those Muggles was the action of a cornered and desperate man — cruel… pointless. Yet I met Black on my last inspection of Azkaban. You know, most of the prisoners in there sit muttering to themselves in the dark; there's no sense in them… but I was shocked at how normal Black seemed. He spoke quite rationally to me. It was unnerving. You'd have thought he was merely bored — asked if I'd finished with my newspaper, cool as you please, said he missed doing the crossword. Yes, I was astounded at how little effect the Dementors seemed to be having on him — and he was one of the most heavily guarded in the place, you know. Dementors outside his door day and night."_

_"But what do you think he's broken out to do?" said Madam Rosmerta. "Good gracious, Minister, he isn't trying to rejoin You-Know-Who, is he?"_

_"I daresay that is his — er — eventual plan," said Fudge evasively. "But we hope to catch Black long before that. I must say, You-Know-Who alone and friendless is one thing… but give him back his most devoted servant, and I shudder to think how quickly he'll rise again…"_

_There was a small chink of glass on wood. Someone had set down their glass._

_"You know, Cornelius, if you're dining with the headmaster, we'd better head back up to the castle," said Professor McGonagall._

_One by one, the pairs of feet in front of Harry took the weight of their owners once more; hems of cloaks swung into sight, and Madam Rosmerta's glittering heels disappeared behind the bar. The door of the Three Broomsticks opened again, there was another flurry of snow, and the teachers had disappeared._

_"Harry?"_

_Ron's and Hermione's faces appeared under the table. They were both staring at him, lost for words._


	15. The Mole

Victoria Snape XV  
The Mole

Author's note: PLEASE READ! The second part of the chapter is Victoria's baptism. It is in a fictional Catholic church, and does not follow exactly a baptism. Just the interesting parts for her. And the necessary. If you do not wish to read this part you may skip after Severus's POV ends.

"You have to promise not to tell anyone," Victoria said, standing before her father in the office, "or do anything that could make Harry think you know."

"What happened." Severus said, drawing closer to his daughter, lifting her chin with his finger so as to look into her eyes. "Did you do something? Was it Potter?"

"Promise!" she said.

Severus Snape gazed upon his child, feeling his fear rise up within him. Was this the right thing to do? Was he a good father? Loosening up around her friends was hard enough; however, he remembered how Lily had always feared going to his house to fetch him, because of his father. And what if he scared her friends away from her? It was easy around Victoria and Lily, but ignoring how he'd become, all those years alone and friendless besides Narcissa, was difficult. Bitterness was easy, forgiveness and peace difficult. But was he good enough?

And the boy. His daughter was too much like him. She had set her sights on a boy already, not yet grown up. If Severus thought about it, Kylen was a good choice; however, as a father he did _not_ want to think about it. But was trying to keep them apart the right thing to do? What if someone had tried to keep him and Lily apart.

Severus' chest tightened.

"I promise," he whispered.

A guilty look filled Victoria's face.

"We – Harry and I – went to Hogsmead."

"You did _what_?"

"There's a hidden passageway behind a witch statue, which leads right to Honeydukes' cellar. I followed him to the Three Broomsticks, and the minister was there with Hagrid, McGonagal, and Flitwick."

"Did anyone see you?" Severus demanded.

"N-no. I was invisible," said Victoria. "And Harry was with Ron and Hermione. Hermione hid Harry by charming a Christmas tree over. But, they were talking about Sirius Black. And now Harry knows what happened. Well, sort of. He knows Black is his Godfather and overheard that it was Black who betrayed his parents."

Severus scowled. He took a minute to digest and analyse the information. "Do you think he's going to go looking for Black now? Never mind him going to Hogsmead while it's so dangerous for him, without permission no less."

_Just like his father._

"But Black isn't really dangerous… or did you mean the Dementors?"

Severus surveyed Victoria. "We cannot know what is going through Black's mind. He could kidnap Potter, if only because he thinks he can protect him. And yes, the Dementors could cause particular harm. To you too, in fact."

Victoria looked at the ground. "I just– wanted to get out of the castle. I feel like a caged bird here, sometimes."

Severus swooped forward in one motion to kneel in front of his daughter. "Listen, to me," he said, drawing out his words. "If you ever want, need, _anything_. Tell me."

Tears formed in the corner of Victoria's eyes.

"I love you," Severus said, the tightness in his chest compressing further. It was a wonder to think he had almost lost this. He would have never gotten Lily to know how he really loved her. Never had a daughter. While he and Narcissa were great friends, their relationship was a complicated one, and expressions of love were limited to hugs, gifts, and time together. The words 'I love you' were precious to Severus, and only Victoria and Lily would ever hear the words from his lips directed towards them.

Victoria flung her arms around him, and Severus gripped her tightly. She was his daughter, his very flesh and blood. And all from Lily no less. His girl was a gift. And gifted.

Everything he did, it would be to protect them. And as long as Dumbledore was helping him to redeem himself, than he would stay at Hogwarts.

But then there was the map.

Victoria trembled as she put the brown shawl over her, in the washroom of Holy Spirit Parish in Godric's Hollow. Lily had chosen the parish as it was the same one Harry was baptized in.

"Darling, are you alright?"

Lily walked into the washroom. She wore a simple blue dress, with a professional camera around her neck. The story was that she was a professional photographer, and of the guests only Narcissa would know better. Others attending included Remus Lupin, of course, Harry, Ginny, Luna, and Hermione. An auror, Kingsley Shacklebolt, was also in attendance due to Harry's presence, and the threat of Sirius Black.

"I'm just a little nervous," Victoria said, "about going into the water, with everyone watching."

Lily smiled; she walked forward to rub Victoria's back gently. The mother and daughter gazed at each other in the mirror.

"You'll be just fine. Your father and I will be supporting you. As will Remus and Narcissa."

Victoria took a deep breath. "Alright, let's go."

Lily walked out first, and Victoria followed, walking towards the church entrance. The font was beautiful. Gold ornaments dangled from the roof, and the Easter candle was set into a gold holder.

"Ready, are you," the priest, Father Stephan said, smiling at Victoria. Ginny and Luna stood on one side of Severus, with Remus and Narcissa at the other, next to the priest. Harry stood near Hermione, and Lily walked to stand between Harry and Ginny, camera ready.

"Yes," Victoria said.

"Then let us begin. Sponsors, you may place your hands on Victoria's shoulder for this part."

Narcissa moved to Victoria's right, and Remus took his place at the left of Victoria.

"Because you are old enough to implement reason, I will be asking these questions of you Victoria. If you forget the answer, that is alright, I will reiterate the answer to you."

Victoria nodded, and her Godparents-to-be placed their hands on her shoulder.

"No so long ago your parents welcomed you into the world, as we are now welcoming you into the church. A little bit longer for you than many, but you're still young. I still use this line when we baptize people who are eighty."

Ginny was the first to stifle a giggle, but then everyone laughed.

"Victoria, daughter of Lily and Severus Snape, what do you ask of the Church of God?"

"Faith," she answered, feeling her leg tremble.

"Do you renounce Satan?"

"Yes."

"And all his works?"

"Yes."

"And all he has to offer?"

"Yes."

When the questions were done, Victoria walked into the font, as instructed, and knelt.

"I baptize you in the name of the Father," Father Stephan said, cupping the holy water in his hand and dripping it over Victoria's head.

Victoria gazed up at him, the water dripping from her face.

"And of the Son," the priest said, dripping the water over her again .

"And of the Holy Spirit."

When he had poured the last water out of his hand, Father Stephan took a step back to grab the oil of the chrism. He took it and anointed her forehead with a cross. The oil smelt divine. She would have to find out what was in it. Hints of Balsam and olive oil were clear to her, but the scent of the oil was too pleasant to get her nose to dissect it.

"You may get changed now," Father Stephan said gently, handing her a white towel.

"Thank you," said Victoria, taking it and wrapping it around herself as she stood to get out of the font, stepping onto a white towel so that the water would not drip everywhere.

"Wait," Severus said, walking over to his daughter. He knelt before her to help her dry herself, but it was clear to everyone that he was sniffing her forhead.

Narcissa laughed.

"I still remember Draco's baptism. We didn't bathe him for days!"

Remus chuckled, along with the priest.

"Here," Father Stephan said, "everyone can come here and smell from the jar. Let Victoria dry off."

Victoria beamed at her father, and around at her friends and family. A feeling of joy filled her, in a way she hadn't experienced before. Like there was nothing to fear. Like no evil could touch her.

A flash of light shocked Victoria for a moment, but then she realized that it was her mother taking another picture.

"Father," she said, mostly using formal language because Harry was present. "Can you bring me my necklace? It's in Mo- my uh bag."

Severus nodded.

"Woah," Ginny exclaimed after smelling the oil. "that is amazing."

"I think there is pifney dust in there," said Luna.

"What?" Father Stephan asked.

"Don't ask," Ginny, Harry, and Hermione said all at once.

Victoria took her wand out of her bag, which had actually been in the washroom. She had dressed in her white dress, and was about to go get her necklace from her father.

She took a deep breath before turning to the door.

"Expecto Patronum!"

A beautiful white mole erupted out of Victoria's wand. It swirled around her and headed for the door.

"No-" she gasped and rushed to the door and opened it. Severus stood there, staring at the mole, which faded.

Victoria stared, as Severus gazed from where the mole was to her. Tears formed in his eyes.

"Daddy?"

He swooped down and grabbed her into his arms. "Thank you," he whispered, the words strained with emotion. "You're a wonderful daughter."

Authors note:

For those of you who don't get it (which would be my fault) the mole represents Severus, and he knows it. Just as Severus's patronus changed to a doe for Lily, thus in this scene, Victoria's is a mole for him. And there lies her deepest dedication.


	16. Expecto

**Expecto…**

Authors note: The Harry/Remus section combines cannon from the books and films. I decided the film location of Remus' office better suited their work. Large section of bold italic (JKR's writing) in the middle is skipable, but there if you need reminding of Harry's timeline.

* * *

Remus Lupin surveyed Harry over his desk.

"So," he said, "you are now the second student who has asked for assistance in fighting dementors this year."

"Really?" asked Harry, "who was the other?"

"Why, your sister." Lupin stood and walked around his desk. "But we will be trying a different approach. I have secured a boggart, after searching the castle. I found it in Mr. Filch's filing cabinet. It's the nearest we'll get safely to a real Dementor. The boggart, of course, will transform when he sees you…" Lupin trailed off, searching the papers on his desk for a letter from Severus. Finding it, he scrolled down to check when he would have to take the potion next.

"Victoria? Really?"

Remus looked up and smiled. "Yes. She, rather like yourself, has been surrounded by conflict and hardship for most of her life. It makes both of you susceptible to the effects of the dementors."

Harry glanced at the brown trunk in the middle of the room. "Is that where it is?"

"The boggart? Yes."

Remus leaned back against his desk. "I will give you the same warning I gave Victoria. Patronus charms are a very complex branch of defensive magic – very advanced magic. They are beyond OWL level, at best, and not all people are able to perform them. What matters, you see, is the ability to feel and express your joy in a single thought, and sustain it. It took Victoria three and a half months, but the other day she told me that she was finally able to procure a full bodied patronus."

"Three and a half months!" Harry exclaimed, "but sir, Quiddich!"

"I do not expect that you will be able to, at first, produce a full bodied patronus. By the next Quiddich match you may, however, be able to produce a shield, a sort of gaurdian, which should give enough time for to fly to lower ground, or to catch the snitch, or for some other action to take place. I believe Dumbledore will be attending the next match again, just in case."

"Oh, that's good," Harry said, clearly relieved.

"Before we begin, I want you to think of a happy memory. The strongest you can think of."

Harry closed his eyes, and Lupin glanced at the trunk.

Remus pulled his wand out of his pocket and ran his finger down the pattern of its wood. _If this doesn't work,_ Remus thought, _what will protect him._

"Okay," Harry said.

**_"The incantation is this —" Lupin cleared his throat. "Expecto patronum!"_**

**_"Expecto patronum," Harry repeated under his breath, "expecto patronum."_**

**_"Concentrating hard on your happy memory?"_**

**_"Oh — yeah —" said Harry. "Expecto patrono — no, patronum — sorry — expecto patronum, expecto patronum"_**

**_Something whooshed suddenly out of the end of Harry's wand; it looked like a wisp of silvery gas._**

**_"Did you see that?" said Harry excitedly. "Something happened!"_**

**_"Very good," said Lupin, smiling. "Right, then — ready to try it on a Dementor?"_**Remus tried to withhold the relief from his face. If Harry was producing the faint smoky wisps this quickly, he had the same aptitude as his sister.

**_"Yes," Harry said, gripping his wand very tightly._**

Remus pointed his wand at the trunk, and twisted it.

**_A Dementor rose slowly from the box, its hooded face turned toward Harry, one glistening, scabbed hand gripping its cloak. The lamps around the classroom flickered and went out. The Dementor stepped from the box and started to sweep silently toward Harry, drawing a deep, rattling breath. A wave of piercing cold broke over the room —_**

**_"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto —"_**

Remus rushed forward as Harry fell backwards, catching him as the boggart changed form, into a full moon. Setting Harry down, Remus raised his wand. "Riddiculus."

Once the boggart was banished back into the trunk, Remus shook Harry. "Harry," he said, "Harry!"

Harry opened his eyes, moving his arms to push himself up.

Remus reached into his pocket and pulled out a Chocolate Frog.

**_"Here —" Lupin handed him a Chocolate Frog. "Eat this before we try again. I didn't expect you to do it your first time; in fact, I would have been astounded if you had."_**

**_"It's getting worse," Harry muttered, biting off the Frog's head. "I could hear her louder that time — and him — Voldemort —"_**

Remus paled.

**_"Harry, if you don't want to continue, I will more than understand —"_**

**_"I do!" said Harry fiercely, stuffing the rest of the Chocolate Frog into his mouth. "I've got to! What if the Dementors turn up at our match against Ravenclaw? I can't afford to fall off again. If we lose this game we've lost the Quidditch Cup!"_**

**_"All right then…" said Lupin. "You might want to select another memory, a happy memory, I mean, to concentrate on… That one doesn't seem to have been strong enough…"_**

**_Harry thought hard and decided his feelings when Gryffindor had won the House Championship last year had definitely qualified as very happy._**

**_"Ready?" said Lupin._**

**_"Ready," said Harry; trying hard to fill his head with happy thoughts about Gryffindor winning, and not dark thoughts about what was going to happen when the box opened._**

**_"Go!" said Lupin, pulling off the lid. The room went icily cold and dark once more. The Dementor glided forward, drawing its breath; one rotting hand was extending toward Harry —_**

**_"Expecto patronum!" Harry yelled. "Expecto patronum! Expecto Pat —"_**

**_White fog obscured his senses… big, blurred shapes were moving around him… then came a new voice, a man's voice, shouting, panicking —_**

**_"Lily, take Harry and go! It's him! Go! Run! I'll hold him off —"_**

**_The sounds of someone stumbling from a room — a door bursting open — a cackle of high- pitched laughter —_**

**_"Harry! Harry… wake up…"_**

**_Lupin was tapping Harry hard on the face. This time it was a minute before Harry understood why he was lying on a dusty classroom floor._**

**_"I heard my dad," Harry mumbled. "That's the first time I've ever heard him — he tried to take on Voldemort himself, to give my mum time to run for it…"_**

**_Harry suddenly realized that there were tears on his face mingling with the sweat. He bent his face as low as possible, wiping them off on his robes, pretending to do up his shoelace, so that Lupin wouldn't see._**

**_"You heard James?" said Lupin in a strange voice._**

**_"Yeah…" Face dry, Harry looked up. "Why — you didn't know my dad, did you?"_**

**_"I — I did, as a matter of fact," said Lupin. "We were friends at Hogwarts._**

**_Listen, Harry — perhaps we should leave it here for tonight. This charm is ridiculously advanced… I shouldn't have suggested putting you through this…"_**

**_"No!" said Harry. He got up again. "I'll have one more go! I'm not thinking of happy enough things, that's what it is… hang on…"_**

**_He racked his brains. A really, really happy memory… one that he could turn into a good, strong Patronus…_**

**_The moment when he'd first found out he was a wizard, and would be leaving the Dursleys for Hogwarts! If that wasn't a happy memory, he didn't know what was…_**

**_Concentrating very hard on how he had felt when he'd realized he'd be leaving Privet Drive, Harry got to his feet and faced the packing case once more._**

**_"Ready?" said Lupin, who looked as though he were doing this against his better judgment._**

**_"Concentrating hard? All right — go!"_**

**_He pulled off the lid of the case for the third time, and the Dementor rose out of it; the room fell cold and dark —_**

**_"EXPECTO PATRONUM!" Harry bellowed. "EXPECTO PATRONUM! EXPECTO PATRONUM!"_**

**_The screaming inside Harry's head had started again — except this time, it sounded as though it were coming from a badly tuned radio — softer and louder and softer again… and he could still see the Dementor… it had halted… and then a huge, silver shadow came bursting out of the end of Harry's wand, to hover between him and the Dementor, and though Harry's legs felt like water, he was still on his feet — though for how much longer, he wasn't sure…_**

**_"Riddikulus!" roared Lupin, springing forward._**

**_There was a loud crack, and Harry's cloudy Patronus vanished along with the Dementor; he sank into a chair, feeling as exhausted as if he'd just run a mile, and felt his legs shaking. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw Professor Lupin forcing the Boggart back into the packing case with his wand; it had turned into a silvery orb again._**

**_"Excellent!" Lupin said, striding over to where Harry sat. "Excellent, Harry! That was definitely a start!"_**

**_"Can we have another go? Just one more go?"_**

**_"Not now," said Lupin firmly. "You've had enough for one night. Here —"_**

**_He handed Harry a large bar of Honeydukes' best chocolate._**

**_"Eat the lot, or Madam Pomfrey will be after my blood._**

**_"Oh."_**

**_Same time next week?"_**

**_"Okay," said Harry. He took a bite of the chocolate and watched Lupin extinguishing the lamps that had rekindled with the disappearance of the Dementor. A thought had just occurred to him._**

**_"Professor Lupin?" he said. "If you knew my dad, you must've known Sirius Black as well."_**

**_Remus placed his head in his hands at the mention of Black. He didn't know what to think anymore. For seven long years he had believed that Black was the traitor, but some of the whispered comments the time travelers had said confused him. And James' middle name, why was he named after Black? And all of the mentions of Scabbers and Crookshanks confused him even more. He hoped that everything would be explained at some point during the books. It almost seemed as if Black wasn't the traitor, but who in the world could it have been otherwise?_**

**_Lupin turned very quickly._**

**_"What gives you that idea?" he said sharply._**

**_"Nothing — I mean, I just knew they were friends at Hogwarts too…"_**

**_Lupin's face relaxed._**

**_"Yes, I knew him," he said shortly. "Or I thought I did. You'd better be off, Harry, it's getting late."_**

**_Harry left the classroom, walking along the corridor and around a corner, then took a detour behind a suit of armor and sank down on its plinth to finish his chocolate, wishing he hadn't mentioned Black, as Lupin was obviously not keen on the subject. Then Harry's thoughts wandered back to his mother and father…_**

**_He felt drained and strangely empty, even though he was so full of chocolate. Terrible though it was to hear his parents' last moments replayed inside his head, these were the only times Harry had heard their voices since he was a very small child. But he'd never be able to produce a proper Patronus if he half wanted to hear his parents again…_**

**_"They're dead," he told himself sternly. "They're dead and listening to echoes of them won't bring them back. You'd better get a grip on yourself if you want that Quidditch Cup."_**

**_He stood up, crammed the last bit of chocolate into his mouth, and headed back to Gryffindor Tower._**

Victoria stared up at the ceiling, laying comfortably on a couch in the ROR with her head on Kylen's lap.

"Show it to me again," Kylen said.

"Again? Alright," said Victoria, pulling out her wand and raising a joyful memory to her mind, as well as letting in resonate within her heart. "Expecto-Patronum."

White mist spouted from the tip of her wand, swirling for a couple seconds before forming a mole.

"I've never heard of that before," Kylen said, "it's like it's hesitating in how to form."

"Or what to form," added Victoria. "It never did that the first time."

"Have you asked Lupin about it?"

"No. And it only does that sometimes too. It's never done that when I'm with―"

"Your father?" Kylen asked.

"Yeah," Victoria said, twisting her head to look at him. "How'd you guess?"

"Well, I looked into the symbology of animagi for transfiguration. And since one's animagi is a reflection of themself, which usually matches ones patronus. In all my readings, the description which made me think of you was that of the bear, and the butterfly."

"Butterfly!" Victoria said, aghast.

Kylen gave her a look, before continuing. "The mole is the personality of a spy, of one who has dabbled in both the light and dark. Mole's gifts are in knowledge of the herbs and crystals of the earth, and are known to be guardians. They are also known to be sensitive to touch. I'm not certain of all of it, but I'm sure it fits your father perfectly."

Victoria paused, gazing off into space. She pictured her father, and thought of each description Kylen had given in turn. "Yeah," she said, "it does."


End file.
